057 - PNEUMOCOCCAL DISEASE IN AUSTRALIA – THE IMPACT OF PAEDIATRIC AND ADULT IMMUNISATION PROGRAMS AND COVID-19 (ID 509)
Abstract
Background
Australia has been an early adopter of universal access to pneumococcal vaccination for infants and older/high risk adults through the national immunization program (NIP). However, despite widespread uptake of vaccines, especially in the paediatric population, IPD remains a significant burden. Recently, there have been significant restrictions on social interaction and population movements with the COVID-19 pandemic. This study reports changes in epidemiology and the impact of COVID-19 related public health measures on invasive pneumococcal disease in non-Indigenous Australians.
Methods
Analyses were performed on invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) notifications collected through the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System from 2002 to 2020.
Results
Despite PCV coverage of approximately 95% coverage of children <5 years, incidence of IPD in <2 years has increased from 15.5 to 23.2 cases per 100,000 and in 2 to <5 years from 7.7 cases to 14.4 cases per 100,00 between 2015-2019. Incidence has also increased in adults >70 years. The increase in both age groups has largely been driven by increasing serotype 3 cases, predominantly associated with bacteraemic pneumonia. There were significant (approximately 50%) reductions in IPD cases in 2020, likely due to Covid-19-related restrictions. However, serotype 3 remained the most prevalent serotype and proportionately increased in pneumonia in <5-year-olds
Conclusions
Bacteraemic pneumococcal pneumonia is the most common IPD presentation, with serotype 3 being the main disease-causing serotype. Whilst public health measures introduced for COVID-19 in 2020 substantially reduced the incidence of IPD, serotype 3 remains the biggest cause of IPD in both paediatric and adult populations.
