Nationwide trends of invasive pneumococcal disease in Spain (2009-2019) in children and adults during the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine era.

Abstract

Introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) has shown a marked reduction in the disease caused by vaccine serotypes in children providing herd protection to the elderly group. However, the emergence of non-vaccine serotypes is of great concern worldwide. This study includes national laboratory data from invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) cases affecting pediatric and adult population during 2009-2019. The impact of implementing different vaccine strategies for immunocompetent adults comparing Spanish regions using PCV13 vs regions using PPV23 vaccine was also analyzed for 2017-2019. The overall reductions of IPD cases by PCV13 serotypes in children and adults were 88% and 59% respectively during 2009-2019 with a constant increase of serotype 8 in adults since 2015. IPD cases by additional serotypes covered by PPV23 increased from 20% in 2009 to 52% in 2019. In children, serotype 24F was the most frequent in 2019 whereas in adults, serotypes 3 and 8 accounted for 36% of IPD cases. Introduction of PCV13 or PPV23 in the adult calendar of certain Spanish regions reduced up to 25% and 11% respectively the IPD cases by PCV13 serotypes, showing a decrease of serotype 3 when PCV13 was used. Use of PCV13 in children has shown a clear impact in pneumococcal epidemiology reducing the burden of IPD in children but also in adults by herd protection although the increase of serotype 8 in adults is worrisome. Vaccination with PCV13 in immunocompetent adults seems to control IPD cases by PCV13 serotypes including serotype 3.