Korean J Pediatr Infect Dis.  2006 Nov;13(2):89-98. 10.14776/kjpid.2006.13.2.89.

Changes of Serotype Distribution of Streptococcus pneumoniae Isolated from Children in Korea over a 15 Year-period(1991~2005)

• Kim SH
• Song EK
• Lee JH
• Kim NH
• Lee JA
• Choi EH
• Lee HJ

• KMID: 2439975
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.14776/kjpid.2006.13.2.89

Abstract

PURPOSE
The prevalence of serotypes can be changed with respect to age of the patients, regions and times of the surveillance. The aim of this study is to analyze changes in serotype distribution of pneumococcal isolates from Korean pediatric patients.
METHODS
Four hundred and sixty five strains of S. pneumoniae were isolated from various clinical specimens at the Seoul National University Children's Hospital during a 15 year-period, from 1991 to 2005, were subjected to serotype and penicillin susceptibility. The study period was divided into three 5 year-periods, 1991~1995(period I), 1996~2000(period II), and 2001~2005(period III).
RESULTS
Common serotypes were 19F, 23F, 19A, 6B, 14, 6A and 9V in decreasing orders of frequency, and these 7 serotypes accounted for 79% of total 465 strains. In the serotype distribution of invasive infection isolates from children < 60 months of age, similar serotypes accounted for 70% of 101 strains. In total strains, the proportion of serotype 19A and 6A increased, while that of serotype 19F and 14 decreased. The majority(75~92%) of vaccine types and cross-reactive types from invasive infection isolates was penicillin-resistant, whereas 34.4% of non-vaccine types was penicillin-resistant.
CONCLUSION
Distribution of serotypes of S. pneuomoniae isolated from Korean children has changed significantly over the last 15 years. The surveillance for pneumococcal serotypes should be continued to monitor changes in serotype distribution which are essential for the establishment of pneumococcal vaccine policy.

Keyword

Streptococcus pneumoniae; Serotype; Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine

MeSH Terms

Child*
Humans
Korea*
Penicillins
Pneumonia
Prevalence
Seoul
Serogroup*
Streptococcus pneumoniae*
Streptococcus*
Penicillins