RESUMEN
This study describes the serotype distribution and antibiotic resistance patterns among 397 S. pneumoniae meningitis case isolates recovered in Salvador, Brazil, during the period of 2000-2007, before introduction of the 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. The active hospital-based surveillance showed a decline in the annual incidence rates of pneumococcal meningitis during the period of study, from 1.12 cases to 0.83 cases/100,000 persons for all age groups (P<0.001), with an overall case-fatality rate of 28.6% (113 of 395) for all patients and 41.9% (57 of 136) for those <5 years of age. Serotypes 14 (n=55; 13.9%), 3 (n=32; 8.1%), 23F (n=32; 8.1%), 19F (n=31; 7.8%), 6B (n=30; 7.6%), 18C (n=28; 7.1%), and 6A (n=20; 5%) were the most prevalent serotypes. In patients <5 years the estimated projected coverage of 7-, 10- and 13-valent conjugate vaccines was 74.3%, 75.7% and 83.1%, respectively. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed that 22.1% (n=88) of isolates were non-susceptible to penicillin, 56% were non-susceptible to trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole, and 29.6% were non-susceptible to tetracycline. Nonsusceptibility to penicillin and cefotaxime was detected solely among serotype 14 isolates (n=4; 1%). This study provides an important baseline to assess the impact of conjugate vaccine implantation on the epidemiology of meningitis due to Streptococcus pneumoniae in Salvador, Brazil.