We investigated nasopharyngeal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus among infants and young children with acute otitis media in a country where use of 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) has been progressively implemented. Among 1783 children enrolled, 60.8% carried S. pneumoniae, and 9% carried S. aureus. Among S. pneumoniae carriers, the rate of S. aureus ...

In July 2006, the seven-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) was introduced in Norway with a reduced (2 doses + 1 boost) dose schedule. Post-PCV7 shifts in pneumococcal reservoirs were assessed by two point prevalence studies of nasopharyngeal colonization among children in day care centers, before (2006) and after (2008) widespread use of PCV7. Nasopharyngeal swabs were obtained from 1...

Previously, the Fiji Pneumococcal Project (FiPP) evaluated reduced dose immunization schedules that incorporated pneumococcal protein conjugate and/or polysaccharide vaccine (PCV7 and 23vPPV, respectively). Immune hyporesponsiveness was observed in children vaccinated with 23vPPV at 12 months of age compared with children who did not receive 23vPPV. Here we assess the long-term impact of 23vPPV...

INTRODUCTION Data on the prevalence of nasopharyngeal carriage of S.pneumoniae in all age groups are important to help predict the impact of introducing pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV) into routine infant immunization, given the important indirect effect of the vaccine. Yet most carriage studies are limited to children under five years of age. We here explore the association between carri...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) remains an important cause of invasive disease including bacteraemia. This review highlights recent findings related to pneumococcal bacteraemia, virulence factors, and multiple colonization, including strain competition, biofilm formation, and competence. RECENT FINDINGS Countries with no vaccination programmes see vaccine serotyp...

T he effect of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine–7 (PCV-7) in reducing pneumococcal nasopharyngeal (NP) carriage in very low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants has not been studied. Our primary objective was to characterize NP carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae in a group of VLBW infants (weight, 4011500 g) before administration of the first PCV-7 vaccine (prevaccine) and at 4 to 6 weeks after a 3-dose...

BACKGROUND Pneumonia is the major cause of death in children globally, with more than 900,000 deaths annually in children under five years of age. Streptococcus pneumoniae causes most deaths, most often in the form of community acquired pneumonia. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) are currently being implemented in many low-income countries. PCVs decrease vaccine-type pneumococcal carriage...

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a leading cause of pneumonia, the most common cause of childhood death. Papua New Guinean children experience high rates of nasopharyngeal pneumococcal colonization within weeks of birth, predisposing them to pneumococcal disease. In a trial to determine the safety and immunogenicity of early infant vaccination with 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (7vPCV), we...

BACKGROUND Infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major cause of childhood morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially in low income countries where pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) are still underused. In countries where PCVs have been introduced, much of their efficacy has resulted from their impact on nasopharyngeal carriage in vaccinated children. Understanding the epidemiolog...