Pediatria pre prax 6/2006

PNEUMOCOCCAL DISEASES CAUSE SIGNIFICANT MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY AT HOME AS WELL AS ABROAD

Valid epidemiological data are frequently missing and based on commonly underreported cases may be risk of invasive pneumococcal diseases underestimated. The purpose of this work is to present data from different countries and based on their extrapolation make conclusions for the Czech Republic. In countries, where the general strategy of vaccination has not yet been accepted for economical reasons, it is necessary to vaccinate risk groups. This strategy is only a temporary solution and pneumococcal vaccine is a serious candidate for general vaccination not only in the Czech Republic, but worldwide, as experience from many countries prove.

Keywords: invasive pneumococcal disease, incidence, distribution of serotypes, general vaccination.