Pneumococcal bacteria appear all year round, developing favorably in the cold season, especially in the first or last months of the year, winter and spring. Bacteria are present in the nose and throat of sick and healthy people, and are transmitted to others when coughing, sneezing, or talking. According to the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), pneumococcus (Streptococcus pneumoniae) is localized in the nose and throat of 5-90% of the healthy population due to its characteristic ability to adhere to epithelial cells in this area.
Normally, bacteria do not cause disease. When encountering favorable conditions such as a weakened immune system, damaged mucous membranes due to flu, Covid-19, respiratory syncytial virus, adenovirus… pneumococcus will take the opportunity to invade organs. From there, bacteria causing sinusitis, otitis media, pneumonia, meningitis, can enter the blood causing sepsis.
Newborns and young children with weak immune systems are susceptible to pneumococcal disease. Pneumococcal pneumonia has a mortality rate of up to 50% in young children. Meningitis also has a mortality rate of over 50% in all pediatric patients in developing countries in Asia and Africa. 30-50% of children with pneumococcal meningitis who survive suffer from long-term sequelae such as deafness, blindness, paralysis, epilepsy, mental retardation, etc.
Illustration of a child with fever when infected. Photo: Vecteezy
Vaccines are one of the preventive measures against diseases caused by pneumococcus. Parents should remember to give their children all the basic vaccinations, and schedule reminders at the right time as prescribed by the doctor for the best results.
Currently, Vietnam has two vaccines to prevent pneumococcal diseases, which can be given to children as early as 6 weeks old, creating protective immunity of up to 97%. Depending on the age and type, children will have different vaccination regimens.
In addition to vaccination, parents need to protect their children during the rainy and cold seasons, breastfeed their children for at least the first 6 months of life, and keep their living environment clean. Family members also need to be vaccinated to help reduce the risk of contracting and spreading diseases caused by pneumococcus.