Fathima P, Blyth CC, Lehmann D, Lim FJ, Abdalla T, de Klerk N, Moore HC. The impact of pneumococcal vaccination on bacterial and viral pneumonia in Western Australian children: record linkage cohort study of 469,589 births (1996-2012). Clinical Infectious Diseases, 2017 Oct 23, in press. Available from: doi: 10.1093/cid/cix923.
Summary
A record linkage cohort study involving 469,589 births (1996-2912) was conducted in Western Australia by Fathima and colleagues. The implementation of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) has decreased hospitalizations related to all-cause pneumonia and viral pneumonia in all children, with variations by age group and aboriginal / non-aboriginal children. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was the most common virus identified in children hospitalized with pneumonia (34.4%). RSV specific pneumonia hospitalisation decreased by 50% compared to pre-universal PCV period. There is a 7-fold disparity in pneumonia hospitalisations between aboriginal and non-aboriginal children. The results need careful interpretation as only half of all pneumonia hospitalisations have been linked to the pathology records. Also, changes in clinical and diagnostic practices as well as pathogen testing patterns over the study period are likely and important sources of error.
Abstract on PubMed.