Epidemiology of pneumococcal disease in children in Germany

Recently published and as yet unpublished data allow a reasonable estimate of the annual burden of pneumococcal disease in Germany. At least 277 000 e pisodes of otitis media and at least 2000 episodes of sinusitis occur in ch ildren under the age of 5 y. Pneumococcal meningitis was found in 200 child ren under the age of 16 y; the estimate for all age groups ranges from 450 to 1100 cases. Of approximately 150000 cases of ambulatory pneumococcal pne umonia, at least 63000-105000 patients are hospitalized each year. Conclusion: Further studies of pneumococcal epidemiology in Germany are nee ded, and continued surveillance will be necessary fore better understanding of the overall burden of pneumococcal disease in children as well as adult s.