[Epidemiologic and serologic studies of pneumococcal infections with reference to the new STIKO recommendations]. / Epidemiologische und serologische Untersuchungen von Pneumokokken-Infektionen im Hinblick auf die neuen STIKO-Empfehlungen.

ABSTRACT

Pneumococcal diseases play an important role especially for babies and toddlers (otitis media) and for older persons (pneumonia). 28% of the 481 reported cases of bacterial meningitides (without meningococcus) in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern were caused by pneumoniae streptococcus. A pneumococcus antibody study by the land register confirms the high contamination in older people. Therefore STIKO recommends since March 1998 to effect pneumococcal vaccination with every person from the age of 60 and dove as well as for children, adolescents and adults with higher risk due to a primary disease.