After the introduction of immunization, otorrhea incidents decreased considerably, mainly because of the decrease in pneumococcal disease. H. influenzae is now the predominant organism. Serotype 19A has increased significantly and is the most common nonvaccine pneumococcal serotype. Penicillin resistance has increased in recent years.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the meningococcal C conjugate vaccine on the epidemiology of meningococcal C disease in Greece. Data from the National Reference Laboratory for Meningococcal Disease and a questionnaire distributed to Greek paediatricians were assessed. Since the introduction of the vaccine in 2001, 72% of Greek paediatricians have administered it as one single dose to patients aged > or =12 months. This vaccination scheme has probably contributed to a dramatic decrease in the number of meningococcal C infections, which reached zero in 2004.