Invasive Pneumococcal Disease Surveillance, 1 January to 31 March 2019

The number of notified cases of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in the first quarter of 2019 was lower than the previous quarter, but greater than the first quarter of 2018. Following the July 2011 replacement of the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (7vPCV) in the childhood immunisation program with the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (13vPCV), there was an initial relatively rapid dedine in disease due to the additional six serotypes covered by the 13vPCV across all age groups; however, more recently this dedine is no longer evident. Over this period the number of cases due to the eleven serotypes additionally covered by the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (23vPPV), and also those serotypes not covered by any available vaccine, has been increasing steadily across all age groups (Figure 1).