There are over 90 different types of pneumococcal bacteria. The bacteria is carried in the throat, often without causing disease.
pneumococcal DISEASE
Pneumococcal disease is easily spread from person to person by coughing, sneezing and close contact. Pneumococcal infections may be local or invasive.
Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) occurs if the pneumococcal bacteria pass into the blood, resulting in a severe form of pneumonia, bacteraemia (blood infection) and meningitis, and can infect other sites around the body, including the heart muscle, joints and abdomen. Pneumococcal meningitis is an infection of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord caused by the pneumococcal bacteria. Pneumococcal meningitis is very serious and can be difficult to treat.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that pneumococcal disease is currently the world’s number one vaccine-preventable cause of death among infants and children younger than five years of age.
Pneumococcal disease occurs throughout the year, but is more common in autumn and winter. Māori and Pacific children are more affected by pneumococcal disease than other ethnicities in New Zealand.
who is more at risk?
Healthy children under 5 years of age and the elderly are at higher risk from pneumococcal disease. The highest risk of serious disease is in infants less than one year of age, Māori, Pacific peoples and older people.
The risk of invasive pneumococcal disease for Māori is just over three times, and for Pacific people almost four times higher than the risk for NZ Europeans.
Since 2008, all babies in New Zealand can be immunised against pneumococcal disease as part of their free childhood immunisations at 6 weeks, 3 months, 5 months and 15 months old. It’s important to protect babies from pneumococcal disease by getting them immunised on time. They’re not protected until they’ve had all 4 doses.
Each year in New Zealand more than 150 children under the age of 5 years are admitted to hospitals with pneumococcal disease.
About 1 in 10 children with pneumococcal meningitis die and 1 in 6 survivors will have permanent brain damage.
About 1 in 3 children will be left with a hearing impairment after pneumococcal meningitis.
Less severe illness, such as ear infections, may lead to deafness.
Children with medical conditions such as congenital heart disease, some chronic lung diseases, kidney diseases, HIV infection, and children whose immune system is lowered through chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or organ transplant are at higher risk of pneumococcal disease.
Children with spinal fluid shunts and with cochlear implants are at higher risk.
protect your baby
