County of Los Angeles
Department of Public Health
Acute Communicable Disease Control
313 N. Figueroa Street, Room 212
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone: (213) 240-7941
Fax: (213) 482-4856
E-Mail:acdc2@ph.lacounty.gov
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Acute Communicable Disease Control
Pneumococcal Disease (Streptococcus pneumoniae)
Pneumococcal disease is a leading cause of serious illness in children and adults. It is
caused by a common bacterium called Streptococcus pneumoniae. It can lead to serious
infections in the lungs (pneumonia), the blood (bacteremia), and the covering of the
brain (meningitis) but may also cause sinus and middle ear infections. Issues of interest
include the increasing resistance of S. pneumoniae to antibiotics and the recent availability
of a new vaccine to protect children at highest risk, those less than 5 years of age.
Effective 10/1/02, all laboratories and health care providers are required to report any
cases of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). Reporting IPD is important because of
significant morbidity and mortality associated with this disease, the introduction of the
new pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (Prevnar), and the increasing trends of antimicrobial
resistance. Nationwide, the proportion of penicillin nonsusceptible S. pneumoniae increased
from 10% to 25%. IPD surveillance will allow for tracking County-wide antimicrobial
resistance patterns. The data will also help physicians make appropriate antibiotic
treatment choices.
Singleton RJ, Hennessy TW, Bulkow LR, et al. Invasive pneumococcal disease caused by
nonvaccine serotypes among alaska native children with high levels of 7-valent
pneumococcal conjugate vaccine coverage. JAMA 2007;297(16);1825-6.
Whitney CG, Farley MM, Hadler J, et al. Decline in invasive pneumococcal disease after
the introduction of pneumococcal protein-polysaccharide conjugate vaccine. New Engl J
Med 2003; 348; 1737-1746.
Whitney CG, Farley MM, Hadler J, et al. Increasing Prevalence of Multidrug-Resistant
Streptococcus pneumoniae in the Unites States. New Engl J Med 2000; 343: 1917-1924
Robinson KA, Baughman W, Rothrock G, et al. Epidemiology of invasive Streptococcus
pneumoniae infections in the United States, 1995-1998: opportunities for prevention in
the conjugate vaccine era. JAMA 2001; 285: 1729-1735
Pneumococcal disease is a leading cause of serious illness in children and adults. It is
caused by a common bacterium called Streptococcus pneumoniae. It can lead to serious
infections in the lungs (pneumonia), the blood (bacteremia), and the covering of the
brain (meningitis) but may also cause sinus and middle ear infections. Issues of interest
include the increasing resistance of S. pneumoniae to antibiotics and the recent availability
of a new vaccine to protect children at highest risk, those less than 5 years of age.
Effective 10/1/02, all laboratories and health care providers are required to report any
cases of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). Reporting IPD is important because of
significant morbidity and mortality associated with this disease, the introduction of the
new pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (Prevnar), and the increasing trends of antimicrobial
resistance. Nationwide, the proportion of penicillin nonsusceptible S. pneumoniae increased
from 10% to 25%. IPD surveillance will allow for tracking County-wide antimicrobial
resistance patterns. The data will also help physicians make appropriate antibiotic
treatment choices. 