Immunization against Streptococcus pneumoniae infections

Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common etiologic agent in outpatients pneumonia. Pneumococcal infections are often associated with high mortality risk in immunocompromised patients. An increasing resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae to antibiotics is obse rved worldwide. This led to the official recommendation by the STIKO to use the vaccination in special risk groups, The commercially available 23-vale nt polysaccharide vaccine produces a reliable immune response against pneum ococcal infection in children aged over 2 years and adults. The recommendat ion should be more realized in practice.