Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Breakthrough Infections: 2001–2016
Tolulope Adebanjo, Tracy Pondo, David Yankey, Holly A. Hill, Ryan Gierke, Mirasol Apostol, Meghan Barnes, Susan Petit, Monica M. Farley, Lee H. Harrison, Corinne Holtzman, Jan Baumbach, Nancy M. Bennett, Suzanne McGuire, Ann Thomas, William Schaffner, Bernard Beall, Cynthia G. Whitney, Tamara Pilishvili
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Most countries use 3-dose pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) schedules; a 4-dose (3 primary and 1 booster) schedule is licensed for US infants. We evaluated the invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) breakthrough infection incidence in children receiving 2 vs 3 primary PCV doses with and without booster doses (2 + 1 vs 3 + 1; 2 + 0 vs 3 + 0). METHODS: We used 2001-2016 Active Bacterial Core surveillance data to identify breakthrough infections (vaccine-type IPD in children receiving ≥1 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine [PCV7] or 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine [PCV13] dose) among children aged <5 years. We estimated schedule-specific IPD incidence rates (IRs) per 100 000 person-years and compared incidence by schedule (2 + 1 vs 3 + 1; 2 + 0 vs 3 + 0) using rate differences (RDs) and incidence rate ratios. RESULTS: We identified 71 PCV7 and 49 PCV13 breakthrough infections among children receiving a schedule of interest. PCV13 breakthrough infection rates were higher in children aged <1 year receiving the 2 + 0 (IR: 7.8) vs 3 + 0 (IR: 0.6) schedule (incidence rate ratio: 12.9; 95% confidence interval: 4.1-40.4); PCV7 results were similar. Differences in PCV13 breakthrough infection rates by schedule in children aged <1 year were larger in 2010-2011 (2 + 0 IR: 18.6; 3 + 0 IR: 1.4; RD: 16.6) vs 2012-2016 (2 + 0 IR: 3.6; 3 + 0 IR: 0.2; RD: 3.4). No differences between schedules were detected in children aged ≥1 year for PCV13 breakthrough infections. CONCLUSIONS: Fewer PCV breakthrough infections occurred in the first year of life with 3 primary doses. Differences in breakthrough infection rates by schedule decreased as vaccine serotypes decreased in circulation.