Epidemiology of Streptococcus pneumoniae.

The epidemiology of S. pneumoniae invasive infections in France, over the last few years, was modified by two public health measures. A nationwide campaign for the rationalization of antibiotic prescription was implemented in 2001 and vaccination of young children with the pneumococcal 7-valent conjugate vaccine in 2003. These measures led to a decrease in antibiotic resistance in S. pneumoniae strains, a lower incidence of invasive infections due to vaccine serotypes, but a higher incidence of infections due to non-vaccine serotypes, especially 7F and 19A. Despite the replacement, the incidence of invasive pneumococcal infections in children less than 2 years of age remains lower than it was before introducing the 7-valent conjugate vaccine.