Temporal progression of the distribution of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes causing invasive pneumococcal disease in Galicia (Spain) and its relationship with resistance to antibiotics (period 2011-2021)

INTRODUCTION

Streptococcus pneumoniae causes serious diseases in the susceptible population. The 13-valent pneumococci conjugate vaccine (PCV13) was included in the children's calendar in 2011. The objective of the study was to analyze the evolution of pneumococcal serotypes and their resistance after PCV13.

METHODS

This study included the pneumococci serotyped in Galicia in 2011-2021. Antibiotic susceptibility was analyzed following EUCAST criteria. The data was analyzed in 3 sub-periods: initial (2011-2013), middle (2014-2017) and final (2018-2021). The prevalence of serotypes and their percentage of resistance to the most representative antibiotics were calculated.

RESULTS

A total of 2.869 isolates were included. Initially, 42.7% isolates presented capsular types included in PCV13, compared to 15.4% at the end. Those included in PCV20 and not in PCV13 and PCV15 were 12.5% at baseline and 41.3% at the end; 26.4% of the isolates throughout the study had serotypes not included in any vaccine. The prevalence of serotype 8 multiplied almost by 8 and that of 12F tripled. The 19A serotype was initially the most resistant, while the resistance of serotypes 11A and 15A increased throughout the study.

CONCLUSIONS

The introduction of PCV13 in the pediatric population determined a change in pneumococcal serotypes towards those included in PCV20 and those not included in any vaccine. Serotype 19A was initially the most resistant and the 15A, not included in any vaccine, deserves special follow-up. Serotype 8, which increased the most, did not show remarkable resistance.

Vaccination trends in people with HIV infection participanting in the hospital-based survey of patients infected with HIV, 2006-2021

OBJECTIVE

To assess the trend in hepatitis A, hepatitis B, pneumococcal, tetanus and seasonal influenza vaccination in people with HIV infection and to analyse associated factors.

METHODS

The Hospital Survey of Patients with HIV, an annual cross-sectional study conducted on a fixed day (2006-2021), was used. Inpatients and outpatients were included. Trends in vaccination and associated factors were analysed using logistic regression.

RESULTS

A total of 8643 participants were included. Vaccination rates increased to 65.3% for hepatitis A, 83.7% for hepatitis B, 49.3% for tetanus, 68.9% for pneumococcal and 74.5% for seasonal influenza in 2021. Factors positively associated with vaccination were older age for pneumococcal and influenza vaccination; higher educational level for hepatitis A and tetanus; living in a closed institutions or prison for tetanus, pneumococcal and influenza; and having acquired HIV through sex between men for hepatitis A, B and pneumococcal. In addition, being on antiretroviral treatment and having a high CD4 count were positively associated with vaccination for all these diseases. Factors inversely associated with vaccination were being older (hepatitis A, B and tetanus), being an immigrant (tetanus and seasonal influenza) and being an injection drug user/ex-user for hepatitis A and B.

CONCLUSIONS

Vaccination in people with HIV has increased in the study period. The results are in line with the recommendations in this population, although there is still room to reach the established vaccination indicators.

Vaccination against influenza and pneumococus in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

BACKGROUND

Vaccination against pathogens such as influenza or pneumococcus is widely recommended for patients with rheumatoid arthritis; the prevalence of adherence to these vaccination programmes in Mexico is not known.

METHODS

A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out, through the application of a survey to adult patients with a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis treated in a tertiary hospital in Mexico City.

RESULTS

227 patients were included, vaccination against influenza was found in 31.3% and against pneumococcus in 17.6% of patients, the main reasons for non-compliance with the vaccination schedule were related to ignorance and the recommendation by doctors not to do so.

CONCLUSIONS

Compliance with the recommended vaccination schedules in the studied population is lower than those reported in other populations. The most important interventions to improve coverage should be aimed at educating both patients and medical personnel.

Evaluation of vaccination coverage in cochlear implant patients at a referral hospital in Northern Spain

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

The risk of bacterial meningitis increases in cochlear implant patients. Therefore, pneumococcal, influenza and Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccination is indicated in this group. The aim of this study was to determine compliance with the vaccination calendar in patients implanted in a referral hospital.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with cochlear implant operated between 2005 and 2015 were included. Vaccine coverage for seasonal influenza, Haemophilus influenzae type b and pneumococcal conjugate 13-serotypes and pneumococcal polysaccharide 23-serotypes was evaluated. The sample was divided into 2 age groups (<14 years and≥14 years). A univariate and bivariate analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Of the 153 patients studied (28.01% 0-13 years old and 71.9%≥14), only 2 (5.71%) had 100% adherence to the vaccination schedule, while 65.71% had compliance of 50% or less. Overall, vaccination coverage against the sequential pneumococcal pattern was 48.57%. The paediatric population exceeded 90% coverage for the vaccine against Haemophilus influenzae type b and pneumococcal conjugate 13-serotypes while in those over 14 years of age it barely exceeded 50%. Influenza coverage was less than 40%. An inverse correlation was obtained between age and compliance, although not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Vaccination coverage in patients with cochlear implant is lower than expected. Close collaboration between Otolaryngology departments and the Vaccination Units is proposed as the main strategy for improvement.

Evaluation of pneumococcal and influenza vaccination coverage in rheumatology patients receiving biological therapy in a regional referral hospital

OBJECTIVE

Vaccination coverage for seasonal influenza and pneumococcus in rheumatology patients receiving biological treatment. To identify variables that predict vaccination adherence.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

Descriptive cross-sectional study. The study involved rheumatology patients who initiated biological therapy between 01/01/2016 and 12/31/2016 in a regional referral hospital. Variables included sociodemographic information, diagnostic data, treating physician, referral to the vaccine unit and vaccination against pneumococcus with 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) and 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23), as well as seasonal influenza (2016/17). Univariate, bivariate (Chi-square) and multivariate analysis (logistic regression) were performed. The differences were considered significant (P<.05) and the PASW v.18 software package was used.

RESULTS

In all, 222 patients were included. Vaccination coverage was: PCV13, 80.2%; PPSV23, 77.9%; influenza 2016/17, 78.8%; PCV13+PPSV23, 75.2%; PCV13+PPSV23+influenza 2016/17, 68.9%. Axial spondylitis had the highest coverage (>80%) for pneumococcal vaccination and combination of pneumococcal with influenza. Overall, 27% of the patients were not referred to the unit. The treating physician was associated with statistical significance in each vaccine alone or combined, but referral to the vaccine unit was independently associated with the highest vaccination coverage (P<.001) in all cases.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to the scientific literature, we consider that the coverage of our patients against pneumococcus and influenza is high. Referral of these patients to the vaccine unit is the key to guarantee a correct immunization and to minimize some of the possible infectious adverse effects of biological therapies.

[Positive urine pneumococcal antigen test and vaccination]

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE

Although urine pneumococcal antigen is an useful test, it has false positives such as pneumococcal vaccination.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Positive urine pneumococcal antigen in Hospital de Denia (January-February/2015). We studied epidemiological, radiological and microbiological variables as well as previous pneumococcal vaccination (neumo-23 and/or neumo-13).

RESULTS

Urine pneumococcal antigen test was positive in 12.4% of 385 cases. Only 33.3% of positive cases had pneumonia in chest X-ray, and 35.4% of patients had previous pneumococcal vaccination. In most cases (87.5%), an antibiotic was prescribed.

CONCLUSIONS

Pneumococcal vaccination can produce a false positive result in the urine pneumococcal antigen test in clinical practice, leading to an unnecessary prescription of antibiotics.

Pneumococcal carriage in rural Gambia prior to the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine: a population-based survey

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate pneumococcal colonisation before and after the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) in eastern Gambia.

METHODS

Population-based cross-sectional survey of pneumococcal carriage between May and August 2009 before the introduction of PCV into the Expanded Program on Immunization. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from all household members, but in selected households, only children aged 6-10 years were swabbed. This age group participated in an earlier trial of a nine-valent PCV between 2000 and 2004.

RESULTS

The prevalence of nasopharyngeal pneumococcal carriage in 2933 individuals was 72.0% in underfives (N = 515), 41.6% in children aged 5-17 (N = 1508) and 13.0% in adults ≥18 (N = 910) years. The age-specific prevalence of serotypes included in PCV7, PCV10 and PCV13 was 24.7%, 26.6% and 46.8% among children <5 years of age; 8.5%, 9.2% and 17.7% among children 5-17 years; and 2.5%, 3.3% and 5.5% among adults ≥18 years. The most common serotypes were 6A (13.1%), 23F (7.6%), 3 (7.3%), 19F (7.1%) and 34 (4.6%). There was no difference in the overall carriage of pneumococci between vaccinated and unvaccinated children 8 years after the primary vaccination with three doses of PCV (48.3% vs. 41.1%).

CONCLUSION

Before the introduction of PCV, serotypes included in PCV13 accounted for about half the pneumococcal serotypes in nasopharyngeal carriage. Thus, the potential impact of PCV13 on pneumococcal disease in the Gambia is substantial.

[Pneumococcal vaccine recommendations in chronic respiratory diseases]

Community-acquired pneumonia is an acute respiratory infectious disease which has an incidence of 3-8 cases/1,000 inhabitants, and increases with age and comorbidities. The pneumococcus is the organism most frequently involved in community-acquired pneumonia in the adult (30-35%). Around 40% of patients with community-acquired pneumonia require hospital admission, and around 10% need to be admitted to an intensive care unit. The most serious forms of pneumococcal infection include invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), which covers cases of bacteremia (associated or not to pneumonia), meningitis, pleuritis, arthritis, primary peritonitis and pericarditis. Currently, the biggest problem with the pneumococcus is the emergence of resistance to antimicrobial agents, and its high morbimortality, despite the use of appropriate antibiotics and proper medical treatment. Certain underlying medical conditions increase the risk of IPD and its complications, especially, from the respiratory diseases point of view, smoking and chronic respiratory diseases. Pneumococcal disease, according to the WHO, is the first preventable cause of death worldwide in children and adults. Among the strategies to prevent IPD is vaccination. WHO considers that its universal introduction and implementation against pneumococcus is essential and a priority in all countries. There are currently 2 pneumococcal vaccines for adults: the 23 serotypes polysaccharide and conjugate 13 serotypes. The scientific societies represented here have worked to develop some recommendations, based on the current scientific evidence, regarding the pneumococcal vaccination in the immunocompetent adult with chronic respiratory disease and smokers at risk of suffering from IPD.