3g.2 How common is pneumococcal disease?
Description
This article is from the Childhood Vaccinations FAQ, by Lynn Gazis-Sax lynng@alsirat.com with numerous contributions by others.
3g.2 How common is pneumococcal disease?
From Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, Behrman and Vaughn, eds.,14th
edition, 1992:
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Pneumococcus (_Streptococcus pneumoniae_) is a normal inhabitant of
the upper respiratory tract (as many as 91% of children between 6 mo
and 4 1/2 yr of age carry this bacterium at some time). Pneumococcus
is the most common cause of bacteremia (bacteria in the blood),
bacterial pneumonia, and bacterial otitis media (middle ear
infections). Pneumococcus causes 25-30% of acute middle ear
infections. It is also high on the list for bacterial causes of
meningitis.
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There has been recent evidence of antibiotic-resistant pneumococci
(see JAMA 1994; 271:1831; and MMWR 1994; 43:23; articles summarized in
Journal Watch, January 15, 1995 in the paper edition and February 7,
1995 in the electronic edition).
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