Diseases caused by Streptococcus pneumonia

"Streptococcus pneumoniae is a bacterium, with over 90 strains, which most often causes inflammation of the nasopharyngeal mucosa and neighboring organs: sinuses and ears. More aggressive strains of this bacterium cause: pneumonia, meningitis, sepsis, diseases that can have lasting consequences or fatal outcome, especially in infants, young children and people with chronic diseases.. Zdrava deca u zavisnosti od mesta istraživanja , u različitom procentu (27% u razvijenim i do 85% u zemljama u razvoju) mogu ovu bakteriju nositi na sluznici gornjih disajnih puteva.U promenjenim okolnostima, događa se lokalni razvoj infekcije, a putem krvotoka infekcija se može proširiti i na druge delove tela. Inficirane osobe bekteriju prenose na druge osobe preko kapljica ili direktnim kontaktom, ređe indirektno, preko sveže zaprljanog predmeta."

Signs and symptoms of the disease

The bacteria Streptococcus pneumonia (pneumococcus) can cause bacterial inflammation of the pharynx, ears and sinuses, but also serious diseases such as pneumonia, meningitis, sepsis, and other less frquent complications. The infections are more ferquent in children younger than 2 years but may appear laso in older children especially in high risk groups that include children with chronic diseases and children with weakened immune system.

Pneumonia may occur as a complication of the flu or other viruses, appears suddenly and includes: fever, cough with purulent secretions, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, shortness of breath, rapid breathing, insomnia. In 10% -20% of cases it occurs in association with sepsis, and the disease may be potenially fatal if not treated.

Streptococcus pneumonia is the leading cause of bacterial meningitis (inflammation of the meninges) in children. Sick children show weakness, irritability, vomiting, fever, headache, convulsions and coma may occur. About 8% of sick children die despite treatment, and many children who develop the disease remain with permanent neurological disorders such as hearing loss, mental retardation, motor disorders, convulsions.

Treatment

Diseases caused by Streptococcus pneumonia are treated with combination of antibiotics to overcome the increase in resistance of this bacteria to antibiotics. The increasesing resistance has complicated the treatment and the outcome of these infections.

Prevention

The best protection against infections caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumonia is vaccination. Other measures can also help: breastfeeding the infant, prevention of influenza by vaccination, protecting the child from the effects of tobacco smoke and other air pollutants, arranging hygienic conditions, etc.

There are two types of vaccines: conjugated and polysaccharide. In the conjugate vaccine, the polysaccharide part of the bacterial envelope is bound to the protein, and they are intended especially for children younger than 2 years of age. Two conjugated vaccines, Prevenar 13 (containing antigens of 13 strains of pneumococcus) and Synflorix (containing antigens of 10 strains of pneumococcus), are used. The polysaccharide vaccine (Pneumo 23) is intended for use in children older than 2 years who are in with high risk of infection.

Vaccination against the disease caused by Streptococcus pneumonia is given in three doses starting at 6 weeks of life, it is followed by the second and third doses in intervals of 4-8 weeks. In some countries re-vaccination is provided in the second year of life.