Pneumococcal disease in Australia.
The proceedings of the Pneumococcal Disease in Australia Workshop, held on 26-27 March 1999 are presented in this report. The world-wide epidemiology of the pneumococcus, with its predilection for the very young and the very old, differs between the developing and the developed world, and between indigenous and non-indigenous populations. Sources of data on pneumococcal disease in each of the Australian States, clinical aspects of invasive and non-invasive disease, and the role of the public health laboratory in surveillance of serotypes and antimicrobial sensitivity, both nationally and over time, were discussed at the Workshop. Polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccines are recommended for those over 65 years of age and for at-risk groups, but are supplied free of charge only in Victoria and for indigenous Australians over 50 years of age. Children will require conjugate vaccines, which are likely to be licensed in the United States of America early in 2000. In Australia indigenous children, especially in rural areas, will be the priority group for conjugate vaccines.
Forrest
J M
JM
National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Diseases (NCIRS), Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children, Sydney, New South Wales.
McIntyre
P B
PB
Burgess
M A
MA
D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D006801:Humans; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012307:Risk Factors; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae
D001428:Bacterial Vaccines