Pneumococcus is one of the most common causes of serious, invasive disease including pneumonia, sepsis and meningitis in children. It is also the most common bacterial cause of middle ear infections (otitis media). An effective vaccine against 7 strains of pneumococcus (Prevnar®) was introduced in 2000; its use has been shown to have decreased invasive disease dramatically and also to have reduced the number of ear infections and the need for ear tubes in children.
After the vaccine was introduced, the rate of disease caused by the 7 strains in the vaccine decreased; other strains quickly took their place as colonizers of children and causes of disease. At first, these strains were not resistant to antibiotics; however, some have become resistant. One strain in particular, 19A, has emerged as a common cause of disease. In this study, cases of 19A were discovered in New York that are resistant to multiple antibiotics. In fact, this strain was resistant to all FDA-approved antibiotics for otitis media. All 9 cases required either surgery or an antibiotic not used in children to cure the infection. Although this study was small, we are likely to see more and more of this strain and more and more ear infections resistant to antibiotics.
The battle against germs continues all the time because they continue to change and to develop resistance to antibiotics. This is due in part to our overuse of antibiotics in medicine and agriculture. As new strains emerge, new treatments and methods of prevention must be developed. We must also continue to battle against overuse of antibiotics so that more resistant strains do not develop as quickly.
