Failures of 13-Valent Conjugated Pneumococcal Vaccine in Age-Appropriately Vaccinated Children 2–59 Months of Age, Spain
Sergi Hernández, F.A. Moraga Llop, Álvaro Díaz, Mariona Fernández de Sevilla, Pilar Ciruela, Carmen Muñoz‐Almagro, Gemma Codina, Magda Campins, Juan José García‐García, Cristina Esteva, Conchita Izquierdo, Sebastià González‐Peris, Johanna Martínez‐Osorio, Sonia Uriona, L. Salleras, Ángela Domı́nguez
Abstract
Vaccination with the 13-valent conjugated pneumococcal disease (PCV13) has reduced invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), but there have been reports of vaccine failures. We performed a prospective study in children aged 2-59 months who received diagnoses of IPD during January 2012-June 2016 in 3 pediatric hospitals in Catalonia, Spain, a region with a PCV13 vaccination coverage of 63%. We analyzed patients who had been age-appropriately vaccinated but who developed IPD caused by PCV13 serotypes. We detected 24 vaccine failure cases. The serotypes involved were 3 (16 cases); 19A (5 cases); and 1, 6B, and 14 (1 case each). Cases were associated with children without underlying conditions, with complicated pneumonia (OR 6.65, 95% CI 1.91-23.21), and with diagnosis by PCR (OR 5.18, 95% CI 1.84-14.59). Vaccination coverage should be increased to reduce the circulation of vaccine serotypes. Continuous surveillance of cases of IPD using both culture and PCR to characterize vaccine failures is necessary.