Bacteriology
Pneumococcal diagnosis and serotypes in childhood community-acquired pneumonia,☆☆

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2013.02.012Get rights and content
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Abstract

The 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) was introduced routinely in the UK from September 2006 and replaced by PCV13 in 2010. In a prospective study from 2009 to 2011 of 160 children aged ≤16 years with radiologically confirmed pneumonia, likely pneumococcal infections were identified in 26%. Detection of pneumococci was improved with polymerase chain reaction compared to culture (21.6% versus 6% of children tested, P = 0.0004). Where serotyping was possible, all (n = 23) were non-PCV7 but PCV13 serotypes; 1 (43.5%), 3 (21.7%), 7A/F, and 19A (17.4% each).

Keywords

Diagnosis
Paediatrics
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine
Pneumonia
Serotype
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Urinary pneumococcal antigen

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Conflicts of interest and source of funding: This study was supported by a grant from Pfizer Vaccines UK (No. 0887X1-4479). JEC and DAS received unconditional research support from Pfizer. The sponsor had no role in the study design, data collection, analysis or interpretation, and writing of the manuscript.

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Contributors: JEC, ADS and DAS developed the original study concept. MAE collected and managed the data. ADS, JDP, GJAE and MAE performed the laboratory analyses. All authors were involved in the interpretation of the results and writing of this article.