Declining incidence of invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae infections among persons with AIDS in an era of highly active antiretroviral therapy, 1995-2000.
BACKGROUND
Our goal was to describe trends in invasive pneumococcal disease incidence among persons with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) since the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).


METHODS
We used time-trend analysis of annual invasive pneumococcal disease incidence rates from a population-based, active surveillance system. Annual incidence rates were calculated for 5 July-June periods by use of data from San Francisco county, the 6-county Baltimore metropolitan area, and Connecticut. The numerators were the numbers of invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae infections among persons 18-64 years of age with AIDS; the denominators were the numbers of persons living with AIDS, estimated on the basis of AIDS surveillance data.


RESULTS
The annual incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease declined from 1094 cases/100,000 persons with AIDS (July 1995-June 1996) to 467 cases/100,000 persons living with AIDS (July 1999-June 2000). The annual percentage changes in incidence were -34%, -29%, -8%, and -1%. Declines were similar by surveillance area, sex, and race/ethnicity. During the final year of the study, the invasive pneumococcal disease incidence in persons with AIDS was half that of the pre-HAART era but was still 35 times higher than that in similarly aged non-HIV-infected adults.


CONCLUSIONS
In the United States, invasive pneumococcal disease incidence declined sharply across a range of subgroups living with AIDS during the period after widespread introduction of HAART. Despite these gains, persons with AIDS remain at high risk for invasive pneumococcal disease.
Heffernan
Richard T
RT
Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA. rheffern@health.nyc.gov
Barrett
Nancy L
NL
Gallagher
Kathleen M
KM
Hadler
James L
JL
Harrison
Lee H
LH
Reingold
Arthur L
AL
Khoshnood
Kaveh
K
Holford
Theodore R
TR
Schuchat
Anne
A
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People