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Multicenter Study
. 2007 Nov;92(11):1009-12.
doi: 10.1136/adc.2007.119891. Epub 2007 Jul 11.

Decline in pneumococcal meningitis after the introduction of the heptavalent-pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in northern France

F Dubos  1 , I Marechal, M O Husson, C Courouble, M Aurel, A Martinot; Hospital Network for Evaluating the Management of Common Childhood Diseases
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Decline in pneumococcal meningitis after the introduction of the heptavalent-pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in northern France

F Dubos et al. Arch Dis Child. 2007 Nov.

Abstract

Background: The impact of the heptavalent-pneumococcal conjugate vaccine on the incidence of pneumococcal meningitis in Europe has not yet been assessed.

Objective: To determine whether heptavalent-pneumococcal conjugate vaccine implementation in northern France has resulted in a decrease in the incidence of pneumococcal meningitis in children.

Design: Multicentre retrospective cohort study from 2000 through 2005.

Settings: All paediatric departments of the 18 hospitals in northern France.

Patients: Patients <18 years of age, admitted for laboratory-confirmed pneumococcal meningitis during the study period, were included.

Interventions: Data were collected from medical files and the microbiological laboratories of each hospital and compared with the regional hospital discharge codes, using a capture-recapture method.

Main outcome measures: The study assessed and compared global and age-related incidence rates of pneumococcal meningitis in 2001 (pre-vaccine era) and 2005.

Results: 77 cases were found through the capture-recapture method. The incidence rate of pneumococcal meningitis varied from 1.65/100,000 children <18 years in 2001 to 0.80/100,000 children in 2005 (53% reduction, 95% CI 31 to 74; p = 0.08). This has so far been significant only for children <2 years of age (8.9/100,000 in 2001 to 1.8/100,000 in 2005; 82% reduction, 95% CI 52 to 95; p = 0.03).

Conclusion: A decline in pneumococcal meningitis has been observed in infants since heptavalent-pneumococcal conjugate vaccination began in our area.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None.

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