title: [Invasive pneumococcal diseases in children and surveillance systems in Italy].
abstract: Streptococcus pneumoniae is the causative agent of invasive diseases and of localized infections in children and older people. World and European epidemiological data show differences in disease incidences and in prevalences of pathogenic serotypes. Epidemiology changed after the introduction of conjugate vaccines for infants even if the still inadequate surveillance systems do not allow a comparison of the data. In this paper the Italian available epidemiological data and surveillance systems are rewied considering problems related to the emergence of new or drug-resistant strains and the advantages awaited from the new vaccines.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica, Università di Roma Tor Vergata.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bagnato
authors.forename: Maria Giulia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Marino
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Franco
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012703:Serotyping; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate
chemical_list: D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines; D018074:Vaccines, Conjugate