New Solutions in Pneumococcal Disease Prevention for Children and Adults

Strategic Insights -

Recent conferences in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City brought together healthcare professionals to discuss new solutions in pneumococcal disease prevention, highlighting the critical importance of early protection for young and very young children. Pneumococcus is a severe and deadly agent that causes diseases such as pneumonia, sepsis, and meningitis, with a significant burden in low- and middle-income countries. In Vietnam, the disease is particularly prevalent among children under one year of age, with up to 65% of invasive pneumococcal disease cases occurring in this age group.

Key Takeaways:

  • The risk of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in children under five years of age is extremely high, with children under one year of age accounting for over 50% of IPD cases.
  • The new generation 15-valent pneumococcal vaccine from MSD is a suitable choice for healthcare workers and the Vietnamese population, inducing a strong immune response in children and adults.
  • The vaccine has been used in 24 national immunization programs for children worldwide since its approval and has been shown to be effective in preventing pneumococcal disease, including serious conditions such as empyema, sepsis, cardiac toxicity, and meningitis.
  • The vaccine is a shield to protect the community, especially children under one year of age, from the burdens caused by pneumococcus, according to the Deputy Head of the Department of Infectious Disease Control at the Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology.
  • MSD has collaborated with the National Institute for Vaccine and Biological Control and the Pasteur Institute of HCM City to provide advanced options for preventing infectious diseases, including pneumococcal disease.
  • The Ministry of Health of Vietnam has approved the new generation 15-valent pneumococcal vaccine from MSD, which will provide an additional option for those seeking protection against pneumococcal disease.

Statistics:

  • Up to 65% of IPD cases occur in children under one year of age.
  • 61% of pneumococcal meningitis cases occur in children under five years of age.
  • Children under one year of age account for over 50% of IPD cases in children under five years of age.
  • The risk of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in children during their first year of life is very high.
  • The mortality rate from serotype 3 (ST3) accounts for up to 30-47%.
  • The new generation 15-valent pneumococcal vaccine from MSD has been used in 24 national immunization programs for children worldwide since its approval.

Sources:

  • MSD Vietnam (known as Merck and Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., USA in the United States and Canada)
  • National Institute for Vaccine and Biological Control
  • Pasteur Institute of HCM City
  • Ministry of Health of Vietnam
  • Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology