Chapter 11: Pneumococcal Disease Tamara Pilishvili, MPH; Brendan Noggle, BS; Matthew R. Moore, MD, MPH
I. Disease Description Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is a gram-positive bacteria bacterium with more than 90 known serotypes. Pneumococcus is spread by airborne droplets and is a leading cause of serious illness, including bacteremia, meningitis, and pneumonia among children and adults worldwide.1, 2 Although all serotypes may cause serious disease, a relatively limited number of serotypes cause the majority of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Active Bacterial Core Surveillance (ABCs) has tracked IPD in selected regions of the United States since 1994. ABCs data indicate that individuals aged
