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Epidemiology of invasive pneumococcal disease in urban New South Wales, 1997–1999
Author(s) -
McIntyre Peter B,
Gilmour Robin E,
Gilbert Gwendolyn L,
Kakakios Alyson M,
Mellis Craig M
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2000.tb139409.x
Subject(s) - medicine , incidence (geometry) , epidemiology , pneumococcal disease , serotype , pneumococcal infections , streptococcus pneumoniae , penicillin , pediatrics , prospective cohort study , pneumococcal conjugate vaccine , conjugate vaccine , disease , antibiotics , immunology , immunization , biology , physics , microbiology and biotechnology , antigen , optics
Objectives To describe the serotypes, incidence and morbidity of invasive pneumococcal disease in urban New South Wales. Design Prospective laboratory surveillance. Setting Microbiology laboratories and hospitals in the Sydney, Hunter and lllawarra Statistical Divisions of NSW, June 1997 to May 1999. Results 1270 cases were identified in two years. Incidence of disease was highest in those aged < 2 years (96.4 per 1; 95% CI, 83.7–107.9) and ≥ 85 years (100.1 per 1; 95% CI, 81.8–121.3). Incidence of disease increased significantly from the age of 60 years, compared with low rates in those aged 5–59 years. Underlying diseases predisposing to pneumococcal infection increased with age, from 4% (<2 years) to 60% (≥ 65 years). A seven‐valent conjugate vaccine would have covered 84.8% of serotypes in those aged 0–14 years, falling to 69% in those ≥ 15 years. Penicillin resistance was significantly higher in the < 5 years group (19.0%) than in older people (14.6%). Conclusions Incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease was higher in this study using active surveillance than in previous Australian studies. An effective seven‐valent conjugate pneumococcal vaccine could prevent more than 80% of cases in children aged < 5 years.