Theoretical pneumococcal vaccine coverage: analysis of serotypes isolated from inpatients at a tertiary care hospital

Abstract

If the patients in this sample had been previously vaccinated with PCV13 plus PPV23, theoretically, 50.8% of the cases of invasive pneumococcal disease that required hospital admission could potentially have been prevented. Invasive pneumococcal disease should be prevented by vaccination not only of children and the elderly but also of adults in their economically productive years, so as to reduce the socioeconomic costs, morbidity, and mortality still associated with the disease, especially in underdeveloped countries.

Adult vaccination in Brazil: a cross-sectional survey on physicians’ prescription habits

“…Studies have reported that adult vaccination coverage rate (VCR) is still at a suboptimal level in various countries 12,13 , including Brazil 14,15 . This has been attributed to limited public awareness, misinformation, vaccine hesitancy, gaps in recommending vaccines during healthcare visits and vaccine costs 1,16 .…”

Getting to know our pneumococcus

“…In this issue of the JBP, Dullius et al 1 present the results of their study involving a population of adult patients with invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). Although similar studies have been conducted in populations of pediatric patients and immunosuppressed patients, there have been few such studies involving adult populations.…”

“…The study conducted by Dullius et al, 1 published in this issue of the JBP, brings us the knowledge of pneumococcus in one region of Brazil (the state of Rio Grande do Sul), as well as of the serotyping of isolates from patients with IPD. A series of cultures were collected over an 11-year period, and the pneumococcal serotypes were correlated with the clinical status recorded in medical records and with the mortality rates found.…”

“…In their study, Dullius et al 1 identified 35 pneumococcal serotypes; the authors theorized that, if the recommended vaccination regimen were used, the coverage would be 50.8%, because the strains not covered by the existing vaccines accounted for 49% of the cases. The Dullius et al 1 study has the merit of indicating the importance of vaccinating our patients, with a potential reduction in the number of cases of IPD and, consequently, mortality.…”

“…Dullius et al 1 showed that it is possible to work in collaboration with other institutions, improving treatment and increasing our knowledge of our patients. We hope that the authors will continue to pursue this line of research and will be able to provide us with more answers.…”