Epidemiology of invasive streptococcus pneumoniae infections in children in Spain, 1996-1998.
BACKGROUND
Streptococcus pneumoniae is a significant cause of meningitis and septicemia in early infancy, being associated to a high case-fatality rates and serious sequelae.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the burden of invasive disease caused by S. pneumoniae in Valencia, Spain, during a three-year period (1996-1998).


METHODS
Hospital-based prospective active surveillance program for invasive bacterial diseases in children < or = 15 years of age in Valencia, from December 1, 1995 to January 1999.


RESULTS
A total of 94 cases of invasive pneumococcal disease were detected in patients < or = 15 years of age. The overall annual incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease was 4.6/100,000 persons, < or = 15 years of age. The incidence of invasive disease and meningitis was higher among children younger than 2 years of age (16.8 and 3.8, respectively). Serotypes 19, 14 and 6 accounted for 83% of the isolates.


CONCLUSIONS
The age distribution of invasive pneumococcal disease and meningitis shows a peak in the first two years of life and a decline thereafter. Serotypes 19, 14 and 6 are those primarily responsible for invasive pneumococcal disease in children of this region of Spain.
Díez-Domingo
J
J
Vaccine Institute of Valencia, Research Unit Trinitat, Valencia, Spain. diez_jav@gva.es
Pereiró
I
I
Morant
A
A
Gimeno
C
C
Lerma
M
M
Oyagüez
I
I
González
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008586:Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Q000453:epidemiology; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011018:Pneumonia, Pneumococcal / Q000453:epidemiology; D012621:Seasons; D012703:Serotyping; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000472:pathogenicity