6th International Symposium on Pneumococci and Pneumococcal Diseases

Streptococcus pneumoniae is the leading cause of vaccine-preventable deaths in children under 5 years of age worldwide. This meeting report highlights the most important issues that were discussed, among which, adequate and continuous surveillance of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and its prevention through vaccination of children and adults, and new vaccine formulations and schedules, received special emphasis. There is strong and convincing evidence that, when the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV-7) is universally administered to young infants, IPD cases are prevented not only in this age group, but also in the adult population. Close attention and monitoring should be given to the increase of non-PCV-7 serotypes, which has already been observed during the last few years. Among other preventive measures to decrease the impact of IPD in children and adults, influenza vaccination should also be promoted as it has been shown that many IPD episodes are preceded by influenza respiratory tract colonization and disease.