Spanish to English translation
Pneumococcal infections are the leading cause of vaccine-preventable deaths in children under 5 years
DirectoryInfectious DiseasesPublic HealthChildren underVaccine
MADRID, 15 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) -
Pneumococcal infections are the leading cause of vaccine-preventable deaths among children under five years, according to the book 'The pneumococcal disease and its prevention. Walking to the Future ', written by Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Barcelona, Fernando Moraga.
Pneumococcal infection is the leading cause of infectious disease and mortality in children and one of the most important causes of infectious disease in adults. The origin is the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae 'to illness such as bacteremia, sepsis, meningitis, pneumonia and otitis media.
The reality is that there are more than 93 serotypes or strains of pneumococcus, although only a small subset causes the majority of pneumococcal disease. If the heptavalent vaccine, covering seven of them (4, 6B, 9V, 14, 18C, 19F and 23F), the new pneumococcal vaccine trecevalente (PCV13) maintains the protection of the first and extends up from 6 new serotypes (1 , 3, 5, 6A, 7F and 19A).
"In particular", explains Dr. Moraga, "The new vaccine contains the types of pneumococcus that are currently generating more severe disease in childhood, as are the types 19A, 1 and 3."
Currently, only Madrid and Galicia for a few weeks, including pneumococcal vaccine trecevalente in childhood immunization schedules. "In the shots there is a compliance schedule vaccination in children above 90 percent," explained the expert.
In the case of vaccination against pneumococcus, in Madrid, which is included in the calendar, the percentage of children vaccinated is greater than 90 percent but, however, the rest of Spain, this figure is between 50 -60 percent.
"It is important to increase the number of subjects vaccinated against pneumococcal disease to prevent further cases as invasive pneumococcal disease is still important in Spain," says Moraga.
The book features the collaboration of 37 authors and includes, among the 18 chapters that are, first, key aspects of pneumococcal disease in all ages of life, and secondly, an update to address this pathology.
"The work aims to upgrade against pneumococcal disease from the bacteriology of the organism to its treatment through the clinic and diagnosis, and this trip is detailed in all stages of life, from infant to adult, concluded the doctor.