A decade (1989-1998) of pediatric invasive pneumococcal disease in 2 populations residing in 1 geographic location: Implications for vaccine choice

During 1 decade (1989-1998), data on invasive pneumococcal disease were col lected prospectively to assess the burden of disease among Jewish and Bedou in children in southern Israel and the potential reduction in illness that can be achieved by using conjugate vaccines. Data on 513 children <15 years old with bacteriologically proven invasive pneumococcal disease were obtai ned. Among Jewish and Bedouin children <5 years old, incidence rates were 4 5 and 139 cases per 100,000 child-years of observation, respectively. Jewis h and Bedouin children differed in clinical manifestations, seasonal patter ns of disease, serotype distribution, and antibiotic susceptibility rates. The potential coverage by 7-, 9-, and 11-valent conjugate vaccines is 41%, 67%, and 71%, respectively, for Jewish children and 22%, 63%, and 65%, resp ectively, for Bedouin children. The 9- and 11-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines have the potential to substantially decrease invasive pneumococca l disease in southern Israel.