The community has one of the effects of meningitis caused by Pneumococcus lowest in Europe.

-Madrid is the first Spanish region in financing infant vaccine against Pneumococcus

Madrid, January 2012- the impact on the community of Madrid of meningitis caused by the bacterium Pneumococcus is situated among the lowest in Europe with 0.57 cases per 100,000 inhabitants (European in 2006 of 0.3 range and) 1.8 minimum and maximum, respectively). As reflected in the last newsletter epidemiological of the Ministry of health of the community of Madrid, which elaborates the epidemiology service.

In addition, the community of Madrid is located well below the average incidence of meningitis pneumococcal in Spain with a value which reaches the 1.08 per 100,000 inhabitants, according to data from 2008.

The reduction of cases of meningitis by Pneumococcus in the region is due, and argue the authors of the report, largely due to the introduction of the Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine administered since 2006 to children under two years, and that finances only the community of Madrid in Spain, in addition to Galicia from this same year

Currently, the health centres in the region administered vaccine to children with a pattern of three doses at 2, 4 and 15 months of age. It is expected that this year it vaccinated a total of 56.670 children. Currently, administered the vaccine called pneumococcal trecevalente, which improves the previous vaccine heptavalente in protection against invasive pneumococcal disease, by incorporating antigens against new serotypes are circulating and causing invasive disease. The immunization coverage rate is the highest % 98,15.

Pneumococcus (Streptococcus pneumoniae, scientific name) is a major cause of illness and death worldwide. It is responsible for a broad spectrum of diseases: pneumonia, meningitis, infection of the middle ear, sinus, trachea, bronchi and lungs; and produces infection of central nervous system, heart valves, bones or joints. Pneumococcal disease mainly affects children under two years and adults over age 65.

They bajan pneumococcal diseases

In total, during the year 2010, 462 cases of invasive diseases all caused by the pneumococcus, a reduction from the previous year (with 662 cases) were reported in the community of Madrid. The totality of invasive disease caused by the pneumococcus is also situated in Madrid among the lowest in Spain (7.15 cases per 100,000 inhabitants with 12 cases of Galicia, in 2009 or 20.3 in Catalonia).

The reduction in the incidence of this disease in different age groups suggests a group because of vaccine immunity effect, argue the authors of the epidemiological bulletin.

After the introduction of the pneumococcal vaccine conjugate in the child immunization schedule, the Ministry of health included as Declaration mandatory disease invasive pneumococcal disease in 2007, improving epidemiological surveillance of disease; What is allowing assessing the evolution of the incidence of this disease.

The World Health Organization (who) considers that given the high burden of pneumococcal disease in children and adults, prevention of pneumococcal disease should be a priority both in industrialized and developing countries, and is considered as high priority the introduction and maintenance of high vaccine coverage in children