Pneumococcal Infections

Disease Definition: Pneumococcal disease is an infection caused by the Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) bacterium, also known as pneumococcus. Infection can result in pneumonia, infection of the blood (bacteremia/sepsis), middle-ear infection (otitis media), or bacterial meningitis.

Disease Symptoms: "Pneumococcal pneumonia (lung infection) is the most common serious form of pneumococcal disease. Symptoms include: Fever and chills Cough Rapid breathing or difficulty breathing Chest pain".

Disease Treatment: "The guideline produced by the American Academies of Pediatrics and Family Practitioners for the treatment of otitis media recommends first-line treatment of most patients with amoxicillin 80-90 mg/kg/day. Patients who do not improve within 48-72 hours should be re-evaluated and their antibiotics switched to amoxicillin-clavulanate or a second- or third-generation oral cephalosporin, although highly resistant pneumococci may require treatment with parenteral ceftriaxone in order to achieve adequate serum levels of antibiotics."

Statistics:"Pneumococcal disease patients are mainly children under 2 Years of age and the death rates were found to be 16.42% during the year 2014."