Pneumococcal vaccines

Despite advances in our knowledge of the pathogenesis and host immune respo nse and efforts at prevention and treatment, S. pneumoniae continues to cau se considerable disease and mortality. The currently available polysacchari de vaccines confer moderate protection in most adults and older children, b ut they are underutilized. There are an estimated 40,000 deaths per year am ong U.S. adults due to pneumococcus, of which nearly half might be prevente d if the current recommendations for vaccination were followed. Future adva nces must include augmented efforts at coverage of older children and adult s via improvements in education, delivery mechanisms and financing. The maj or advance in the field is the development of conjugate vaccines which appe ar safe, immunogenic and efficacious against invasive pneumoccocal disease in infants. The first conjugate vaccine is anticipated to be available for use in the U.S. in the year 2000. (C) 1999 Prous Science. All rights reserv ed.