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Streptococcus pneumoniae: infection routes and infection prevention
Infection Routes
Streptococcus pneumoniae is a bacterium that lives as a normal inhabitant of the back of the throat and nose. It is spread through droplet infection when people cough and sneeze. People usually become infected in early childhood during communal life, such as at kindergarten, or catch it from siblings.
Infection prevention
A pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine containing 23 of the more than 90 serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae (vaccination age: two years and older) and a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine containing 13 serotypes (vaccination ages: from two months to five years of age; and 65 years and older) are available. The one used in periodic vaccinations to prevent serious infections in children is the conjugate vaccine.