SEROTYPES IN PNEUMOCOCCAL DISEASE A TEN YEAR STUDY IN AUSTRALIA 1970 THROUGH 1979

Abstract

From 1970-1979, pneumococci from 1205 episodes of pneumococci from 1205 episodes of pneumococcal disease affecting children and adults in Australia were studied. These included 188 cases of bacteremic pneumonia (85% in adults), 103 cases of primary bacteremia (50% adults), 201 cases of meningitis (69% children), 13 cases of osteomyelitis and/or arthritis and 13 cases of peritonitis. Otitis media (403 cases), conjunctivitis and sinusitis were predominant among 672 localized infections. Of 36 serotypes of pneumonococci, the leading types were 19, 14, 6, 3 and 9; type 14 predominated in children with primary bacteremia, bacteremic pneumonia or meningitis, type 9 in adults with bacteremic pneumonia and types 3 and 7 in adults with meningitis. In otitis media, types 19 and 3 predominated, in conjunctivitis types 19 and 6 and in sinusitis types 6 and 19. For bacteremic and meningeal infections, the current USA vaccine provides 83% cover; deletion of the rare (in Australia) types 2, 12 and 25 and the substitution of types 11, 15 and 33 would increase cover by 5 to 88% in Australia.