Control of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 5 epidemic of severe pneumonia among young army recruits by mass antibiotic treatment and vaccination.
During an outbreak of severe pneumonia among new army recruits, an epidemiological investigation combined with repeated nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal cultures from sick and healthy contacts subjects was conducted. Fifteen pneumonia cases and 19 influenza-like illness cases occurred among 596 recruits over a 4-week period in December 2005. Pneumonia attack rates reached up to 5.5%. A single pneumococcus serotype 5 clone was isolated from blood or sputum cultures in 4 patients and 30/124 (24.1%) contacts. Immunization with 23-valent polysaccharide vaccine supplemented with a 2-dose azithromycin mass treatment rapidly terminated the outbreak. Carriage rates dropped to <1%, 24 and 45 days after intervention.
Balicer
Ran D
RD
Medical Corps, Israeli Defense Forces, Israel.
Zarka
Salman
S
Levine
Hagai
H
Klement
Eyal
E
Sela
Tamar
T
Porat
Nurith
N
Ash
Nachman
N
Dagan
Ron
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011018:Pneumonia, Pneumococcal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014611:Vaccination; D055815:Young Adult
C414006:23-valent pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide vaccine; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines