EFFECT OF PNEUMOCOCCAL CONJUGATE VACCINE ON THE LENGTH OF HOSPITALIZATION IN CHILDREN UNDER FIVE WITH PNEUMONIA IN BURKINA FASO

ABSTRACT Background Pneumococcus is a leading cause of childhood morbidity and mortality worldwide. We assessed the impact of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) on the hospitalization length among children under five years hospitalized for pneumonia in Burkina Faso. Methods We conducted a secondary analysis of data collected from hospitalized pneumonia cases participating in a diagnostic validation study between December 2015 and January 2017. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess the association between vaccination status and time to discharge. Results A total of 280 children were included, of whom 187 (66.8%) had received three PCV13 doses. The mean hospitalization duration was 7.99 days (95% CI 7.17–8.81) for those fully vaccinated vs. 10.44 days (95% CI 9.07–11.80) among children with <3 doses. Full vaccination was associated with a significantly higher recovery rate (aHR: 1.45; 95% CI: 1.11–2.08, p = 0.01). Conclusion PCV13 significantly reduces hospitalization length due to pneumonia among children under five in Burkina Faso.