Pneumococcus
The pneumococcus bacterium (Streptococcus pneumoniae) kills up to one million children less than five years of age each year, mainly in the developing world. It is the leading cause of childhood pneumonia, the number one killer of children under five in the developing world, and it also causes meningitis (inflammation of the covering of the brain), ear infections, and bacteremia (blood stream infection). Pneumococcal disease can be treated with antibiotics; however, antibiotic-resistant strains are becoming more common worldwide. Current pneumococcal vaccines approved for use in children are effective against strains common in the industrialized world and some developing countries, but do not cover all 90+ pneumococcal serotypes and they are complex and expensive to manufacture. There are several additional vaccines in development.
More about pneumococcus | View resources on pneumococcus
Key resources
Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health (2012)
A journal supplement that aims to address the rationale behind the design components of the Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health project.
Pneumococcal Vaccines: WHO Position Paper - 2012 (2012)
An article that summarizes the World Health Organization's recommendations on pneumococcal vaccines and related issues.
Featured PATH resources
Accelerating New Vaccine Development Against Pneumonia and Other Pneumococcal Diseases (2012)
A fact sheet that gives a general overview of PATH's work to develop new vaccines against pneumococcal disease.
Developing New Vaccines Against Pneumonia and Other Pneumococcal Diseases (2012)
A technical fact sheet that outlines PATH's pneumococcal vaccine project including an overview of its portfolio, research activities, and partners.
Page last updated: May 2012.
