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Facts About Streptococcus Pneumoniae

Streptococcus pneumoniae affects people around the globe and is commonly referred to as pneumococcal bacteria or pneumococcus. It affects both children and adults alike and works by infecting the upper respiratory system, resulting in pneumonia and sometimes also bodily infections like meningitis, sinusitis, ear infections, osteomyelitis (bone infection) and arthritis.

  1. The Facts

    • The streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria can be found in healthy people, located toward the back of the nose. This is referred to as "carriage," meaning if you have the bacteria, you are a carrier. This is more prevalent in younger children and generally does not result in illness.

      The bacteria can be passed between people by coughing or sneezing. If the bacteria move beyond the nasopharynx area, it usually moves into other areas of body, resulting in ear infections, pneumonia or sinus infections. It can also infect the blood, brain and spinal cord. This is known as invasive pneumococcal disease and can be quite serious, sometimes even resulting in death.

    Drug-Resistant Streptococcus Pneumoniae

    • Drug resistance is a major concern with any bacteria. Streptococcus pneumoniae has developed resistance to many drugs, making it particularly problematic. In the 1960s, scientists discovered a strain of penicillin-resistant streptococcus pneumoniae which has since spread throughout the world. In most instances, strains of the bacteria that are penicillin-resistant are also resistant to other medications like erythromycin, chloramphenicol, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and tetracycline. These strains are referred to as "multidrug resistant."

    Prevalence

    • Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most frequent source of worldwide bacterial meningitis infections, ear infections, bacteremia and community-acquired pneumonia. Antibiotic-resistant strains tend to necessitate longer treatment, hospitalization and using more costly medications. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), approximately 700 meningitis cases, 17,000 bacteremia cases occur in the United States every year. Children younger than 2 experience at least one pneumococcal-related ear infection per year. The most pronounced effect of the bacteria is on young and elderly patients, as well as those with serious preexisting illnesses.

    Prevention

    • Vaccination is important in the effort to prevent an S. pneumoniae infection. According to the CDC, one of the challenges of preventing infection is insufficient supply and under use of the vaccines in the adult population. There are several vaccines on the market, both for children and for adults. Talk to your doctor about your risk factors and whether or not getting vaccinated is the right choice for you.

      Common sense precautions like thorough hand washing, avoiding contact with infected people and covering your own mouth while coughing/sneezing and then washing your hands can also go a long way toward helping to prevent the spread of the bacteria.

    Considerations

    • If you are infected with an antibiotic resistant S. pneumoniae strain, antibiotics like levofloxacin, moxifloxacin or gemifloxacin are generally effective in treating the infection.

      Symptoms vary in accordance to the area of the body that is infected. Your doctor will run diagnostic tests to determine if you are infected with streptococcus pneumoniae.

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