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O033 - INCIDENCE OF PNEUMOCOCCAL PNEUMONIA HOSPITALIZATIONS BEFORE AND DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN TENNESSEE AND GEORGIA: RESULTS FROM THE PNEUMO STUDY (ID 316)
Abstract
Background
Understanding the burden of pneumococcal pneumonia is essential for assessing potential impact of vaccines. The COVID-19 pandemic caused major changes in the epidemiology of acute respiratory infections. We calculated incidence of all-cause and pneumococcal pneumonia hospitalizations among US adults before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods
As part of the ongoing Pneumococcal Pneumonia Epidemiology, Urine Serotyping, and Mental Outcomes (PNEUMO) study, we prospectively enrolled adults hospitalized with clinical and radiographic evidence of pneumonia. At 1 hospital in Nashville we enrolled all pneumonia patients (including COVID-19) for 3 years (2018-2019, 2019-2020, 2020-2021) and at 2 hospitals in Atlanta we enrolled pneumonia patients without COVID-19 for 1 year (2018-2019). Pneumococcal etiology was determined by BinaxNOW urine antigen tests, respiratory cultures, and sterile site cultures (which identified invasive pneumococcal pneumonia). Incidence of hospitalizations for all-cause and pneumococcal pneumonia was calculated using market share methodology. During 2020-2021, we also collected information on COVID-19, including results of clinical SARS-CoV-2 tests.
Results
Of 2,558 enrolled patients with all-cause pneumonia, 164 (6.4%) had pneumococcal pneumonia, including 101 (3.9%) with non-invasive pneumococcal pneumonia, and 63 (2.5%) with invasive pneumococcal pneumonia. Of 191 patients with COVID-19 enrolled during the 2020-2021 year, 3 (1.6%) had co-detection of S. pneumoniae. Compared to the year prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, incidence of all-cause pneumonia was maintained during the pandemic years while the incidence of pneumococcal pneumonia decreased (Table).
Conclusions
During the COVID-19 pandemic in the US, hospitalizations for pneumococcal pneumonia declined. Co-infection with SARS-CoV-2 and pneumococcus was rare.