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Modest rise in invasive pneumococcal pneumonia may be linked to seasonal influenza
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Seasonal influenza circulation may be associated with more than 10% of invasive pneumococcal pneumonia cases during the circulation period, according to results of a recent study.
Researchers from the CDC reviewed surveillance data for invasive pneumococcal pneumonia and seasonal influenza for the period from 1995 to 2006. They estimated the weekly incidence of invasive pneumococcal pneumonia, which was defined by the isolation of pneumococci from normal sterile sites in individuals with clinical or radiographic pneumonia. The estimations were made using active population-based surveillance of three regions in the United States.
There were 21,239 episodes of invasive pneumococcal pneumonia observed among approximately 185 million person-years examined. There were 485,691 specimens examined for influenza.
During periods of influenza circulation, an association with influenza circulation was observed for 11% to 14% of pneumococcal pneumonia cases. Influenza circulation was linked to 5% to 6% of pneumococcal pneumonia cases overall.
In two of the three regions, the strongest associations between pneumococcal pneumonia and influenza circulation were detected when circulation data were lagged by one week.
Walter ND et al. Clin Infect Dis. 2010;50:175-183.