INVASIVE PNEUMOCOCCAL DISEASE IN CENTRAL AUSTRALIA

Invasive pneumococcal disease remains a major problem in certain group s of people. We undertook a hospital-based review of all cases of inva sive pneumococcal disease in central Australia over a 2-year period, W e observed 79 cases of invasive disease in 78 patients. The incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease was highest in Aborigines under 5 yea rs of age (1,025 cases per 100,000 population per year). The relative risk for Aborigines compared with non-Aborigines was 31.6 (95% CI, 12. 8-78.1). Pneumonia was the commonest disease observed (82% of patients ), Eight patients died (10.1%), and all of these patients had identifi able risk factors for pneumococcal disease, Serotyping showed that all except two isolates were covered by the existing 23-valent pneumococc al vaccine. These data reveal that Aborigines in central Australia hav e the highest reported rate of invasive pneumococcal disease in the wo rld. A vaccination program in central Australia should decrease admiss ions and deaths due to pneumococcal disease.