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PCV13 reduced pneumococcal-related hospitalizations

SAN FRANCISCO — The implementation of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in children significantly reduced cases of pneumococcal-related diseases in children and adults, according to study findings presented at ID Week 2013.

Keith Klugman, MD, PhD, FIDSA, of Emory University, and colleagues evaluated data from IDC-9–coded electronic health records to identify the effect of the March 2010 change from use of 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (Prevnar 7, Pfizer) to PCV13 (Prevnar13, Pfizer). The analysis was stratified for age groups of younger than 2 years, 2 to 4 years, 5 to 17 years, 18 to 49 years, 40 to 64 years and 65 years or older.

Keith Klugman

Overall, 50% of all children younger than 5 years had received protective doses of PCV13 by 2012. Hospitalizations for invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) decreased by 59% (range, 33%-74%) in this group of children and by 25% (range, 11%-36%) in adults compared with data from 2007 to 2009.

Researchers also noted 22% to 44% reductions in lobar pneumonia for all age categories except for children aged 2 to 4 years.

Empyema was reduced by 42% (range, 17%-60%) in the pediatric population. In addition, the findings indicated a 19% (range, 20%-27%) reduction in all-cause pneumonia among children younger than 5 years, representing an elimination of 22,000 hospitalizations.

There was not a significant reduction in cases of urinary tract infections (1%; range, –3% to 5%), researchers noted.

“For IPD, our observed reduction was in agreement with IPD trends recently reported form the CDC’s ABC laboratory surveillance data; however, we went further by demonstrating a substantial effect on all pneumonia hospitalizations in young children,” Klugman and researchers wrote. “The IPD reduction in both vaccinated children and unvaccinated adults demonstrated that substantial herd immunity achieved from the primary vaccine program and extensive catch-up vaccination was rapidly established. As 100% government hospital databases become available up to 2012, these near real-time results can be validated.”

For more information:

Simonsen L. Abstract #LB-3. Presented at: ID Week 2013; Oct. 2-6, 2013; San Francisco.

Disclosure: Some of the researchers report funding from Pfizer.