Challenges in the Surveillance of Invasive Pneumococcal Disease in the Postvaccination Era.

Abstract

Worldwide, meningitis and pneumonia are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children. Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) is the leading cause of vaccinepreventable deaths, accounting for 11% of deaths in children <5 years globally in the pre-pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) era [1], and it causes significant disease burden in Latin America (LA) and the Caribbean. According to data published by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in July 2014, 25 countries from LA and the Caribbean have introduced PCVs in their immunization schedules. Bolivia is the latest country that has introduced the 13-PCV in their national immunization program. The First Latin American Meeting of Pneumococcus: Epidemiology and Impact of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines was held in San Jose, Costa Rica in August 2014 given the importance of analyzing the data of the post-PCVs era and its impact since their introduction in different countries.