Potential benefits from currently available three pneumococcal vaccines for children--population-based evaluation.

BACKGROUND

Currently there are 3 pneumococcal vaccines available in Germany. The aim of this study is to evaluate the potential of the three currently available pneumococcal vaccines to reduce the burden of invasive pneumococcal disease in children.

SUBJECTS

Children younger than 16 years who have been hospitalized because of IPD between July 2007 and June 2009 in a German pediatric hospitals.

METHOD

Surveillance of IPD in German pediatric hospitals and laboratories serving these hospitals. The case definition is isolation of Streptococcus pneumoniae from any normally sterile body site. The actual number of IPD cases is based on the capture recapture method combining information from both reporting systems.

RESULTS

In the study period an estimated yearly number of 164 IPD cases occurred among children younger than 2 years compared to 144 and 116 cases among children aged 2-4 years and 5-15 years. Among children under 2 years of age, 69 cases were caused by serotypes covered by PCV10 compared to 103 cases potentially preventable by PCV13. Among children aged 2-4 years 94 IPD cases were caused by serotypes covered by PCV13 compared to 108 cases covered by PPV23.

CONCLUSION

The newly available pneumococcal conjugate vaccines with better serotype coverage have the potential to further reduce IPD burden in Germany. The additional benefit of vaccination of children aged 2-4 years at high risk for pneumococcal infections with PPV23 is questionable.