Invasive pneumococcal disease in children prior to implementation of the conjugate vaccine in the Zurich region, Switzerland

Objective: To describe symptoms, disease manifestations and outcome of invasive pneumococcal disease in children prior to implementation of the 7-valent conjugate vaccine. Patients and methods: Analysis of children younger than 16 years of age with invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD; n=119) hospitalized in the University children's hospital Zürich during a period of 5.5 years. IPD was defined as disease with isolation of Streptococcus pneumoniae from a normally sterile body site. 90 children with culture-confirmed IPD without underlying illness at risk for invasive disease were included. Symptoms on admission, d…