Abstract

SIERRA- FERNANDEZ, Hernán et al. Estado actual de la vacuna conjugada contra Streptococcus pneumoniae. Acta méd. costarric [online]. 2006, vol.48, n.2, pp.66-71. ISSN 0001-6002.

The heptavalent S. pneumoniae conjugate vaccine has shown to be safe and effective in preventing pediatric invasive infections and otitis media caused by S. pneumoniae. The routine use of these vaccines has dramatically reduced the incidence of invasive pneumococcal diseases in children younger than 2 years old and because of a reduction in colonization of the children’s nasopharynx, the transmission from child to adult has been reduced and the number of secondary S. pneumoniae infections in adults. Another benefit of the routine use of this vaccine has been the reduction of vaccine-type antimicrobial resistant strains. Based on the S. pneumoniae serotype distribution in Costa Rica, the predicted vaccine protection is calculated in 74%.

Keywords : S. pneumoniae; vaccine; serotype.