title: Childhood pneumonia as a global health priority and the strategic interest of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
abstract: Pneumonia kills more children than any other disease--more than HIV/AIDS, malaria, and measles combined. Introduction of vaccines against pneumococcus and Haemophilus influenzae type b (the most important causes of severe pneumonia in young children), increasing resistance to antibiotics, and changes in HIV prevalence will likely change patterns of pneumonia etiology in developing countries. Studies such as Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health (PERCH) that take advantage of new diagnostic technologies are needed to provide an updated and more precise description of the microbial causes of pneumonia and to inform decisions around treatment algorithms and vaccine development and introduction. In recognition of its importance for global health and especially its significance as an ongoing cause of gross inequity in risks, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has made pneumonia an important part of its global health strategy and PERCH a centerpiece of its Pneumonia Program.
authors.affiliation: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, Washington 98119, USA. radegbola@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Adegbola
mesh_terms: D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003906:Developing Countries; D005582:Foundations / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014943:Global Health / Q000191:economics; D006289:Health Planning Support / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D006292:Health Priorities / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics / Q000276:immunology; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012109:Research Support as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity
chemical_list: D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D022242:Pneumococcal Vaccines