American Academy of Pediatrics Banner AAP Bookstore AAP Web site search AAP Members Only Channel American Academy of Pediatrics American Academy of Pediatrics
HomeTable of ContentsVisual LibraryResourcesNewsSubscribeSearchContact usHelp
Red Book Online Logo    

Red Book Online Quick Search
Advanced Search


This Article
Right arrow Images Only
Right arrow Full Version
Right arrow PDF Español
Right arrow An erratum has been published
Right arrow An erratum has been published
Services
Right arrow E-mail this link to a friend
Right arrow Related text in Red Book
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Articles in Pediatrics
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Right arrow Section 1
Section 2
Section 3
Section 4
Section 5
Appendices

The following text is from an archived Red Book® edition and may not reflect current recommendations or information. To view the current edition, click here.

Section 3. Summaries of Infectious Diseases

Pneumococcal Infections 1

Clinical Manifestations
Etiology
Epidemiology
Diagnostic Tests
Treatment
Isolation of the Hospitalized Patient
Control Measures

Top
Next
CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS:
Pneumococcus is the most common bacterial cause of acute otitis media and of invasive bacterial infections in children. Many children with bacteremia have no identifiable primary focus of infection. Pneumococci also are a common cause of sinusitis, community-acquired pneumonia, and conjunctivitis. Pneumococci and meningococci are the 2 most common causes of bacterial meningitis in infants and young children. Pneumococcus occasionally causes endocarditis, osteomyelitis, pericarditis, pyogenic arthritis, soft tissue infection, and early-onset neonatal septicemia.


Top
Previous
Next
ETIOLOGY:
Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococci) are lancet-shaped, grampositive diplococci. Ninety pneumococcal serotypes have been identified. Serotypes 4, 6B, 9V, 14, 18C, 19F, and 23F (Danish serotyping system) cause most invasive childhood pneumococcal infections in the United States and are the 7 types contained in the licensed heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. Serotypes 6B, 9V, 14, 19A, 19F, and 23F are the most common isolates associated with resistance to penicillin.


Top
Previous
Next
EPIDEMIOLOGY:
Pneumococci are ubiquitous, with many people having colonization in their upper respiratory tracts. Transmission is from person to person, presumably by respiratory droplet contact. The period of communicability is unknown and may be as long as the organism is present in respiratory tract secretions but probably is less than 24 hours after effective antimicrobial therapy is begun. Among young children who acquire a new pneumococcal serotype in the nasopharynx, illness (eg, otitis media) occurs in approximately 15%, usually within 1 month of acquisition. Viral upper respiratory tract infections, including influenza, may predispose to pneumococcal infections. Pneumococcal infections are most prevalent during winter months; most common in infants, young children, and the elderly; and more common in black individuals and some American Indian populations than in other racial . . . [Go to Full Text]

 
 
 
 
 
 

Related text in Red Book:

Summary of Major Changes in the 2003 Red Book

Red Book 2003: xxv. [Extract] [Full Version]  

Immunocompromised Children

Red Book 2003: 69-81. [Extract] [Full Version]  

Children With Chronic Diseases

Red Book 2003: 82. [Extract] [Full Version]  

American Indian/Alaska Native Children

Red Book 2003: 84-85. [Extract] [Full Version]  

Children in Residential Institutions

Red Book 2003: 85-87. [Extract] [Full Version]  

Non-Group A or B Streptococcal and Enterococcal Infections

Red Book 2003: 591-593. [Extract] [Full Version]  

Haemophilus influenzae Infections

Red Book 2003: 293-301. [Extract] [Full Version]  

Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

Red Book 2003: 360-382. [Extract] [Full Version]  




This topic has been referenced by these articles:






HomeTable of ContentsVisual LibraryResourcesNewsSubscribeSearchContact usHelp

Site Requirements | Privacy Policy | Core Values, Vision, and Mission Statement
The recommendations in this online publication do not indicate an exclusive course of treatment or serve as a standard of medical care. Variations, taking into account individual circumstances, may be appropriate.
Copyright © 2003 American Academy of Pediatrics Highwire Press Logo