In the Philippines, statistics show that more than 35 percent of children who suffer from IPD died from the disease.
Worldwide, it is considered one of the leading causes of sickness and death among infants and children less than five years old.
Pneumococcal disease is caused by the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae. It may cause pneumonia, middle ear infections, meningitis, and bacteremia (blood stream infection).
Pneumococcus is carried in the upper respiratory tract. It is spread by direct exposure to respiratory droplets from a person who is infected or carrying the bacteria. However, illness among casual contacts is infrequent.
Although anyone can get pneumococcal disease, it most commonly occurs among children, the elderly or people with serious, underlying medical conditions, such as chronic lung, heart or kidney disease.
Others at risk include alcoholics, diabetics, and people with sickle cell anemia, or immunocompromising conditions such as HIV/AIDS, or those without a spleen (asplenia).
Symptoms of pneumococcal disease include fever, chills, headache, ear pain, chest pain, disorientation, shortness of breath and occasionally stiff neck.
IPD is diagnosed by isolating the bacteria from the blood, spinal fluid, middle ear, lungs, or other bodily fluids.
Prompt treatment with antibiotics such as penicillin is usually effective. However, the number of penicillin-resistant pneumococcal infections is increasing and they require treatment with more powerful antibiotics.
The St. Luke’s Infection Control Service recommends routine vaccination with pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) (7 Valent Vaccine) for children aged two, four, six and 12 to 15 months.
The Prevnar 7-valent is given to children who are two years old or younger. The 23 Valent is given to children older than two years old with other conditions making them at risk of pneumococcal infections.
"The conjugate vaccine against IPD is about 97.4 percent effective against invasive pneumococcal infections in infants who were fully vaccinated, and 89.1 percent effective for all cases of IPD. Prevention is important because some forms of IPD may lead to deafness, mental retardation, paralysis, and even death," the Infection Control Unit said.
For more information about IPD, call the St. Luke’s Infection Control Service at 723-0101 local 4730.