Emerging pneumococcal serotypes in Iraq: scope for improved vaccine development

Abstract

Pneumococcal disease is a global public health concern as it affects the young, aged and the immunocompromised. The development of pneumococcal vaccines and their incorporation in the immunization programs has helped to reduce the global burden of disease. However, serotype replacement and the emergence of non-vaccine serotypes as well as the persistence of a few vaccine serotypes underscores the need for development of new and effective vaccines against such pneumococcal serotypes. In the Middle East, places of religious mass gatherings are a hotspot for disease transmission in addition to the global risk factors. Therefore, the periodic surveillance of pneumococcal serotypes circulating in the region to determine the effectiveness of existing prevention strategies and develop improved vaccines is warranted. Currently, there is a lack of serotype prevalence data for Iraq due to inadequate surveillance in the region. Thus, this review aims to determine the pneumococcal serotypes circulating in Iraq by drawing inferences from the global pneumococcal serotype prevalence data as well as recently published literature from neighboring countries to refine existing vaccination strategies and help in the development and introduction of improved pneumococcal vaccines in the country.