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Current State of Pneumococcal Vaccines
Author(s) -
Wuorimaa T.,
Käyhty H.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.934
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1365-3083
pISSN - 0300-9475
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-3083.2002.01124.x
Subject(s) - streptococcus pneumoniae , serotype , pneumococcal conjugate vaccine , pneumococcal pneumonia , medicine , meningitis , conjugate vaccine , pneumonia , pneumococcal infections , otitis , pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine , immunology , immunization , virology , pediatrics , antibiotics , pneumococcal disease , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , antigen , surgery
Streptococcus pneumoniae is a leading cause of bacterial pneumonia, meningitis, and acute otitis media in children and adults worldwide. According to World Health Organization estimates, at least 1 million children under 5 years of age die each year from pneumococcal pneumonia. The emergence of resistant strains necessitates the development of an effective vaccine with a large serotype coverage. The 11 most common serotypes cause 72–83% of all serious pneumococcal diseases worldwide. Currently marketed 23‐valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine provides large serotype coverage and offers a less expensive option. However, it is efficacious only in adults but not in infants. Conjugate vaccines offer a solution by generating immunological memory already at early age. A recently licensed 7‐valent conjugate vaccine is immunogenic and efficacious in infants. Its serotype coverage might be sufficient in Europe and North America, but not in Africa, Asia and Oceania. A need exists to develop pneumococcal vaccines with lower cost and larger serotype coverage. Several 11‐valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines are being evaluated in phase I–III trials. This study reviews the current state of pneumococcal problem and pneumococcal vaccines in clinical use.