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
Burden of Disease Caused by Streptococcus Pneumoniae in Children Younger than 5 Years: Global Estimates (2009)
A study that provides new burden of disease data on pneumococcal disease, a leading childhood killer. The study aims to support local and global policy decisions on accelerating pneumococcal disease prevention and treatment, particularly for those countries in greatest need.
World Pneumonia Day (2009)
A website that provides information on pneumonia--the second leading cause of death in children under five--and the call for a World Pneumonia Day on November 2, 2009.
Improving Global Health by Preventing Pneumococcal Disease (2008)
A report from the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group for Pneumococcal Disease Prevention in the Developing World on the global burden of pneumococcal disease and pneumonia, the interventions available to prevent and treat it, and an innovative pilot mechanism to accelerate its prevention.
Page last updated: October 2009.
