Serious pneumococcal infections are a major global health problem and are vaccine-preventable.
Print this pagePneumococcal Diseases
Serious pneumococcal diseases are the #1 vaccine-preventable cause of death in children under 5.
WHO estimates that up to 1 million children under 5 die each year due to pneumococcal diseases.
Streptococcus pneumoniae, also known as pneumococcus, are bacteria frequently found in the upper respiratory tract of healthy children and adults. However, these bacteria can also cause a range of infections – from relatively mild ear infections to fatal pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis. Serious pneumococcal infections occur throughout life, but young children (especially those < 2 years old) and the elderly are at the highest risk for severe pneumococcal disease.