Objectives: To evaluate the impact of heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in invasive pneumococcal diseases in the United States, and to analyze the potential impact of this vaccine in Brazil.
Sources of data: MEDLINE, LILACS, Cochrane Database Reviews, as well as the websites of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Brazilian Ministry of Health and Centro de Vigilância Epidemiológica do Estado de São Paulo from January 2000 to January 2006. Articles retrieved with the keywords Streptococcus pneumoniae, pneumococcal diseases, conjugate vaccine, antimicrobial resistance and meningitis were reviewed.
Summary of the findings: The introduction of heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine caused a dramatic reduction in the incidence of invasive pneumococcal diseases in American children, reduced antibiotic use and the number of medical visits due to otitis media and pneumonia by children. The incidence of invasive pneumococcal diseases caused by resistant strains declined in immunized children, adults and elderly individuals. In Brazil, the mortality rate of pneumococcal meningitis is very high and the resistance to antibiotics has increased over the last 5 years.
Conclusions: Heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine can benefit not only children, but the entire community and should be included in the Brazilian routine immunization schedule.