Invasive pneumococcal disease in central Australia.
Invasive pneumococcal disease remains a major problem in certain groups of people. We undertook a hospital-based review of all cases of invasive pneumococcal disease in central Australia over a 2-year period. We observed 79 cases of invasive disease in 78 patients. The incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease was highest in Aborigines under 5 years of age (1,025 cases per 100,000 population per year). The relative risk for Aborigines compared with non-Aborigines was 31.6 (95% CI, 12.8-78.1). Pneumonia was the commonest disease observed (82% of patients). Eight patients died (10.1%), and all of these patients had identifiable risk factors for pneumococcal disease. Serotyping showed that all except two isolates were covered by the existing 23-valent pneumococcal vaccine. These data reveal that Aborigines in central Australia have the highest reported rate of invasive pneumococcal disease in the world. A vaccination program in central Australia should decrease admissions and deaths due to pneumococcal disease.
Trotman
J
J
Department of Medicine, Alice Springs Hospital, Northern Territory, Australia.
Hughes
B
B
Mollison
L
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012307:Risk Factors
D001428:Bacterial Vaccines