Pneumococcal Disease News and Research

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Pneumococcal disease describes a group of illnesses caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae, also known as pneumococcus. This bacterial pathogen, which affects both children and adults, is a major cause of death and illness worldwide. In fact, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), pneumococcal disease is the number one vaccine-preventable cause of death in children younger than 5 years of age worldwide.

Doctors demonstrate the true impact of vaccination

With Children Back in School, Doctors Clear up Confusion and Demonstrate the True Impact of Vaccination

16 Sep 2010

Fluctuation in PCV-7 vaccine dosing time increases pneumococcal serotype 19A strains: Study

Infants who received heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccination (PCV-7) at 2, 4, and 11 months were more likely than unvaccinated controls to have nasopharyngeal (in the nasal passages and upper part of the throat behind the nose) acquisition of pneumococcal serotype 19A, a leading cause of respiratory pneumococcal disease, according to a study in the September 8 issue of JAMA.

8 Sep 2010

WHO grants prequalification status to pneumococcal vaccine, paving way for U.N. procurement

The WHO "has granted prequalification status to Pfizer Inc.'s children's pneumococcal vaccine, Prevenar 13, paving the way for United Nations agencies and governments to start ordering the product," the Associated Press reports (8/23).

25 Aug 2010

Pfizer's Prevenar 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine receives WHO prequalification

The World Health Organization (WHO) has granted prequalification to Prevenar 13 (Pneumococcal polysaccharide conjugate vaccine [13-valent, adsorbed])for active immunization of infants and children from 6 weeks through five years of age against invasive disease, pneumonia and otitis media caused by the 13 pneumococcal serotypes (1, 3, 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 7F, 9V, 14, 18C, 19A, 19F and 23F) contained in the vaccine.

24 Aug 2010

August is National Immunization and Cataract Awareness Month

Childhood immunizations keep our children safe from a number of serious diseases. This is a good time of year to make sure your child is up-to-date on all of his/her immunizations. Continue reading to find out which vaccines the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend for children 6 and under.

16 Aug 2010

PCV-7 vaccine introduction leads to changing patterns of hemolytic uremic syndrome

Introduction of the PCV-7 vaccine to prevent invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) has led to a shift in the types of bacteria causing hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)—an important cause of acute kidney failure in children, reports a study in the August issue of The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal.

4 Aug 2010

Pneumonia, diarrhea, and malaria cause death of 6 million of world's poorest children

A Johns Hopkins University scientist, whose team of researchers recently identified pneumonia, diarrhea, and malaria as the primary causes of death of 6 million of the world's poorest children, today called on leaders in donor and developing nations to take action to address the terrible death toll.

23 Jul 2010

Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine appears to reduce pneumonia, serious complications in infants: Research

A pneumococcal conjugate vaccine introduced in the U.S. 10 years ago appears to reduce pneumonia and serious associated complications, such as blood infections, in the vaccine's target range, children less than a year old, according to new research.

19 Jul 2010

Infection and severe sepsis mortality rates higher in black patients

A greater frequency of severe sepsis among black patients is attributable to higher rates of infection and higher risks of organ dysfunction than what white patients experience, according to a study in the June 23/30 issue of JAMA.

30 Jun 2010

Health Canada recommends new pneumococcal vaccine for young children

In December, 2009, Health Canada approved a new vaccine for children aged six weeks through five years to prevent infections caused by the bacteria called pneumococcus or Streptococcus.

29 Jun 2010

WHA endorses interim targets to eradicate measles as WHO warns disease on the rise

"Measles is making a rapid comeback in African, Asian and even some European countries despite being easily avoided through vaccination, the World Health Organization said Friday as countries pledged to sharply cut infections and deaths worldwide by 2015," the Associated Press reports (Jordans, 5/22). On the final day of the 63rd Annual World Health Assembly, the assembly endorsed a series of interim targets towards the global eradication of measles, VOA News reports.

25 May 2010

WHA passes a new resolution to combat childhood pneumonia

For the first time ever, the World Health Assembly passed a resolution today focused on the prevention and treatment of pneumonia, the world's leading killer of children.

24 May 2010

British Columbia first in Canada to include Prevnar 13 in routine child immunization program

British Columbia is leading the way in vaccinations to protect children from serious disease. The province is the first in Canada to include Prevnar 13, the vaccine that provides the broadest coverage available against Streptococcus pneumoniae that may cause invasive pneumococcal disease, in the routine child immunization program.

21 May 2010

Immunizations Across the Lifespan campaign launched to educate adults on current vaccinations

The Pennsylvania Department of Health is urging adults to ensure they are up-to-date on all needed vaccinations.

18 May 2010

New study reinforces urgent need for life-saving vaccines in Africa

A new study released this week in The Lancet Infectious Diseases finds that African children who contract pneumococcus - a bacterial infection that causes pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis - are 36 times as likely to have sickle-cell disease, a blood disorder prevalent in African children that increases the risk for infectious diseases and early death.

29 Apr 2010

Immunization campaigns to be launched simultaneously in 112 countries and territories

For the first time, immunization campaigns are being launched simultaneously tomorrow in 112 countries and territories in the World Health Organization Regions of the Americas, Eastern Mediterranean and Europe, with the goals of expanding immunization coverage and raising awareness of the importance of vaccines.

24 Apr 2010

BUSM professor receives Individual Biomedical Research Award

Richard Goldstein, PhD, a professor of pediatrics, division of pediatric infectious diseases, at Boston University School of Medicine, has been awarded an Individual Biomedical Research Award by The Hartwell Foundation and will receive $300,000 over three years as a Hartwell Investigator for his project titled, "A Vaccine Against Streptococcus Pneumoniae Based on Bacterial Surface Proteins Phylogenically Certified as Highly Conserved."

23 Apr 2010

Antibiotic-resistant pneumococci increase rate of bacterial infections in children

In the decade since the introduction of pneumococcal vaccination, significant shifts have occurred in the bacterial strains causing serious pneumococcal infections in children, according to a pair of studies in the April issue of The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal (www.PIDJ.com). The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading provider of information and business intelligence for students, professionals, and institutions in medicine, nursing, allied health, and pharmacy.

13 Apr 2010

Glaxosmithkline, Pfizer will supply 60M doses of reduced-price pneumococcal vaccines to developing countries over 10 years, GAVI says

The GAVI Alliance on Tuesday formally announced that drugmakers GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer had signed off on a "10-year deal … to supply 60 million doses a year of cut-price pneumococcal vaccines to developing nations," Reuters reports.

25 Mar 2010

Pfizer to supply pneumococcal conjugate vaccines for infants and children

Pfizer Inc. today announced it has signed a 10-year Provisional Supply Agreement to supply Prevenar 13* (Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Conjugate Vaccine [13-valent, adsorbed]), the company’s 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, for infants and young children in the world’s poorest countries under the terms of the Advance Market Commitment (AMC) pilot project against pneumococcal disease.

24 Mar 2010