UNDERSTANDING PNEUMOCOCCUS
MEDICAL PERSPECTIVE1-5
WHAT IS PNEUMOCOCCUS?

The bacteria called Streptococcus pneumoniae.2
Resides in the nasal and throat area, in both adults and children.
Can be found in 5-90% of healthy individuals.4

OVER 100 SEROTYPES

More than 100 serotypes have been identified.
Most are capable of causing diseases.4
The leading pneumococcal serotypes causing serious disease are: 3
1, 3, 4, 5, 7F, 8, 12F, 14, 18C, 19A, 22F, 33F
 

SEVERITY

Pneumococcus causes infections ranging from mild to severe.
Mild infections include otitis media, sinusitis, and nasopharyngitis.
Severe infections include pneumonia, meningitis, and bacteremia.2

TRANSMISSION

Pneumococcus spreads through direct contact with respiratory secretions such as saliva or mucus. 2

ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE

Pneumococcus has a high rate of antibiotic resistance.
A study conducted in the United States found that over 50% of pneumococcal samples were resistant to at least one type of antibiotic.
Antibiotic-resistant pneumococcus can lead to treatment failure.5

DISEASE BURDEN
DISEASE AND MORTALITY RATES DUE TO PNEUMOCOCCUS

700.000

under the age of 5 died from pneumonia in 2019. Pneumococcus is the leading cause of pneumonia in young children. 6

83%

of pneumococcal meningitis cases occur in children.8

15-20%

is the mortality rate due to invasive pneumococcal disease in adults which can increase to 30-40% in the elderly.9

20-60%

mortality rate from pneumococcal bacteremia.7

400.000

are hospitalized each year due to pneumococcal pneumonia in the United States – the most common pneumococcal disease. 7

PNEUMOCOCCAL PREVENTION

Protect yourself and your loved ones from pneumococcal diseases to build a healthy and happy life

/sites/default/files/2025-05/gif%20baby.gif
HEALTHY GROWTH
/sites/default/files/2025-05/gif%20UMC_0.gif
ACHIEVE WELLNESS,
REACH FURTHER
/sites/default/files/2025-05/gif%20elderly.gif
EMBRACE LIVE FULLY
Risk Assessment Tool
Are you at risk for pneumococcal pneumonia?

You or your loved ones may be at increased risk for pneumococcal pneumonia due to age, underlying health conditions, and/or lifestyle factors.

QUIZ

Homepage Risk Assessment 2

Do you or your loved one have any of the following medical conditions?
A
One or more of the following: Chronic lung disease (such as asthma, COPD), Chronic heart disease, Diabetes, Chronic liver disease, HIV, Cancer, Conditions causing immunosuppression
B
None of the above

Homepage Risk Assessment 3

Do you or your loved one have any of the following lifestyle factors?
A
Yes, I have one or more lifestyle factors that may increase the risk, such as smoking or alcohol abuse
B
No, I do not have any lifestyle factors that increase the risk, such as smoking or alcohol abuse

Homepage Risk Assessment Result 1

RESULT
Your answers indicate that the child may be at high risk for pneumococcal pneumonia.

1. CDC – https://www.cdc.gov/pneumococcal/causes/index.html – Accessed May 21, 2025
2. CDC – https://www.cdc.gov/pinkbook/hcp/table-of-contents/chapter-17-pneumococcal-disease.html – Accessed May 21, 2025
3. Shea KM, Edelsberg J, Weycker D, et al. Rates of Pneumococcal Disease in Adults With Chronic Medical Conditions. Open Forum Infect Dis. 2014;1(1):1–9

Homepage Risk Assessment Result 2

RESULT
Your answers indicate that you or your loved one may be at high risk for pneumococcal pneumonia.

1. CDC – https://www.cdc.gov/pneumococcal/causes/index.html – Accessed May 21, 2025
2. CDC – https://www.cdc.gov/pinkbook/hcp/table-of-contents/chapter-17-pneumococcal-disease.html – Accessed May 21, 2025
3. Shea KM, Edelsberg J, Weycker D, et al. Rates of Pneumococcal Disease in Adults With Chronic Medical Conditions. Open Forum Infect Dis. 2014;1(1):1–9

Homepage Risk Assessment Result 3

RESULT
Your answers indicate that you or your loved one may be at high risk for pneumococcal pneumonia.

1. CDC – https://www.cdc.gov/pneumococcal/causes/index.html – Accessed May 21, 2025
2. CDC – https://www.cdc.gov/pinkbook/hcp/table-of-contents/chapter-17-pneumococcal-disease.html – Accessed May 21, 2025
3. Shea KM, Edelsberg J, Weycker D, et al. Rates of Pneumococcal Disease in Adults With Chronic Medical Conditions. Open Forum Infect Dis. 2014;1(1):1–9

References

(1) Bravo, L. C. (2009). Overview of the disease burden of invasive pneumococcal disease in Asia. Vaccine, 27(52), 7282-7291.
(2) CDC tại https://www.cdc.gov/pneumococcal/about/index.html. Truy cập 30/3/25
(3) Song, J. Y., Nahm, M. H., & Moseley, M. A. (2013). Clinical implications of pneumococcal serotypes: invasive disease potential, clinical presentations, and antibiotic resistance. Journal of Korean medical science, 28(1), 4.
(4) CDC tại https://www.cdc.gov/pneumococcal/hcp/clinical-overview/index.html. Truy cập 30/3/25
(5) Mohanty, S., Feemster, K., Yu, K. C., Watts, J. A., & Gupta, V. (2023, March). Trends in Streptococcus pneumoniae antimicrobial resistance in US children: a multicenter evaluation. In Open forum infectious diseases (Vol. 10, No. 3, p. ofad098). US: Oxford University Press.

(6) WHO tại https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/pneumonia. Truy cập 30/3/25
(7) Immunize.org tại https://www.immunize.org/wp-content/uploads/catg.d/p4213.pdf. Truy cập 30/3/25.
(8) Meningtidis Research Foundation tại https://www.meningitis.org/meningitis/bacterial-meningitis/pneumococcal-meningitis. Truy cập 30/3/25.
(9) Chen, H., Matsumoto, H., Horita, N., Hara, Y., Kobayashi, N., & Kaneko, T. (2021). Prognostic factors for mortality in invasive pneumococcal disease in adult: a system review and meta-analysis. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 11865.

Ask a healthcare professional