0 a bacteria that causes many infections in humans, including pneumonia, meningitis, and ear infections
For instance, practitioners may prescribe antibiotics less often to vaccinated children, taking into account the reduced probability of their being infected by a pneumococcus.
For penicillin-resistant pneumococci, introduced as a notifiable disease in 1996, the overall sensitivity was 93.4 % - increasing from 86.5 % in 1998 to 98.5 % in 2002.
Emergence of multidrug-resistant pneumococci emphasizes the importance of vaccination as a means to prevent pneumococcal disease.
The adult vaccines for influenza and pneumococcus have been found to be cost-effective in well-done studies (31;32).
Typing of pneumococci by using 12 pooled antisera.
Data from the study showed a significant reduction of hospitalization for influenza and pneumococcus-related diseases and of deaths from all causes.
Of the number collected, 62 % (755/1218) of the specimens were culture-positive for pneumococci.
Only 2 cases of penicillin-resistant pneumococci were reported (in 1998).