title: Invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae in Perth teaching hospitals, 1990 to 1994.
abstract: Streptococcus pneumoniae causes pneumonia, otitis media and meningitis. Reports of penicillin resistance and the development of vaccines highlight the need for baseline information about pneumococcal disease in Australia. We surveyed Perth teaching hospital laboratory records for the period 1990 to 1994 for isolates of S. pneumoniae recovered from normally sterile sites, and obtained isolate and patient demographic information. Highest rates of invasive disease were found at the extremes of age and were associated with Aboriginality. Isolates were rarely penicillin resistant. Surveillance of invasive pneumococcal disease will be of importance in monitoring the emergence of penicillin resistance and the impact of conjugate vaccines.
authors.affiliation: Master of Applied Epidemiology Program, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: McLaughlin
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Riley
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Roberts
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008875:Middle Aged; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014904:Western Australia / Q000453:epidemiology