Streptococcus pneumoniae News and Research

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Streptococcus pneumoniae, or Pneumococcus, is a very common bacterial infection in both industrialized and developing countries. In particular, young children and the elderly represent high-risk populations of developing pneumococcal infections. According to the WHO, the bacterium kills up to one million children under the age of five years each year worldwide. It accounts for many Bacterial Meningitis cases in adults and it is the most common cause of Bacteraemia, Pneumonia, Meningitis and Otitis media in young children.

Scientists discover new mechanism for bacterial fosfomycin resistance

Bacteria can survive antibiotics in several ways, including by pumping the drugs out of their cells before they can take effect.

7 Sep 2026

Azithromycin fails to improve severe wheezing in preschool children

A study led by researchers at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson showed that giving the antibiotic azithromycin did not help preschool children seen in the hospital emergency room with bouts of severe wheezing.

18 May 2026

New genetic tool tracks how bacteria spread between people

The research, published on April 24th, 2026, in Nature Microbiology, describes how the new tool, called TRAnsmision Clustering of Strains (TRACS), uses genomics to distinguish between closely related bacterial strains.

4 May 2026

Declining booster uptake after vaccine schedule change in England

The change to a 1+1 pneumococcal vaccine schedule in England highlights rising inequalities in booster uptake, threatening protection for at-risk children.

7 Apr 2026

Global meningitis deaths remain high despite progress since 1990

In 2023, globally 259,000 people died from meningitis and 2.5 million people were infected with the disease, suggests a study published in The Lancet Neurology.

27 Mar 2026

Experts establish standardized protocols for pediatric recurrent wheezing diagnosis

Recurrent wheezing, a respiratory disorder, is caused by the narrowing of the airways, mainly affecting children aged less than 5 years.

26 Mar 2026

Gut bacteria protect mice from deadly secondary pneumonia after influenza

Select gut bacteria protect mice against post-influenza virus secondary bacterial pneumonia, according to a study published by researchers in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University.

12 Jan 2026

Bacterial enzyme linked to heart complications in pneumonia

Pneumonia is a disease that burdens the healthcare system with more that 1.2 million emergency room visits each year and more than 41,000 adult deaths in the United States.

4 Dec 2025

Microbial warning signs that predict death risk in severe pneumonia

Researchers examine the gut and lung microbiota of severe community-acquired pneumonia patients.

3 Dec 2025

Groundbreaking vaccination approach could transform respiratory disease prevention

A research team from Trinity College Dublin has unveiled a groundbreaking new approach to vaccination that could redefine how we protect against respiratory infections.

10 Nov 2025

Global antibiotic resistance reaches alarming levels in 2023

One in six laboratory-confirmed bacterial infections causing common infections in people worldwide in 2023 were resistant to antibiotic treatments, according to a new World Health Organization (WHO) report launched today.

14 Oct 2025

Can oral bacteria make heart disease worse?

The presence of viridans streptococci in coronary plaques indicates a role in atherosclerosis, potentially influencing heart disease outcomes.

1 Sep 2025

Community vaccination program reduces pneumonia deaths among elderly in Japan

A research team has evaluated the real-world impact of a community-based pneumococcal vaccination support program for older adults conducted in Sera Town, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.

3 Jul 2025

Mass treatment with the antibiotic azithromycin may lead to increased drug resistance

Efforts to reduce child mortality in Africa via mass treatment with the antibiotic azithromycin (AZM) may lead to increased drug resistance in bacteria that frequently cause pneumonia and meningitis, highlighting the need for careful monitoring, finds a new study led by UCL.

4 Jun 2025

Why measles is back in the U.S. and what doctors must know now

Measles is making a troubling comeback in the U.S., driven by declining vaccination rates and rising vaccine hesitancy. Pediatric infectious disease experts provide clinical guidance to help healthcare providers recognize, manage, and prevent measles in today’s outbreak-prone environment.

14 Apr 2025

European study reveals stabilization patterns in antibiotic resistance

Antibiotic resistance tends to stabilize over time, according to a study published April 3, 2025 in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens by Sonja Lehtinen from the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, and colleagues.

4 Apr 2025

Study explores the impact of respiratory bacteria on RSV severity

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of lower respiratory tract infections in children under two years old, resulting in significant morbidity and a heavy economic burden on healthcare systems worldwide.

6 Feb 2025

NIH grant supports study of copper's role in killing harmful bacteria

A researcher at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson received a $1.9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to continue his research into uncovering the mysteries of copper – specifically, how it can be harnessed to kill harmful bacteria and other microorganisms.

10 Jan 2025

New technology enables targeted delivery of antibiotics

Researchers from the University of Waterloo have developed a new technology that can hold an entire course of antibiotics in one tiny dose and deliver on demand just the right amount of medication that a particular patient needs to fight an infection.

24 Oct 2024

WHO report highlights the role of vaccines in reducing antibiotic use

A new report by the World Health Organization (WHO) finds that vaccines against 24 pathogens could reduce the number of antibiotics needed by 22% or 2.5 billion defined daily doses globally every year, supporting worldwide efforts to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

10 Oct 2024