CHILDHOOD EMPYEMA: LIMITED POTENTIAL IMPACT OF 7-VALENT PNEUMOCOCCAL CONJUGATE VACCINE

Abstract

During 2003-2004, locally presenting pleural empyema cases in children increased 3-fold. Antigen analysis of empyema fluid identified Streptococcus pneumoniae in 27 of 29 cases for whom samples were available and capsular polysaccharide type 1 in 18 of these. Use of a conjugate vaccine without serotype 1 antigen would have had limited impact on this morbidity in our region.