Among 76 children fully vaccinated with 7-valent conjugate vaccine and subsequently hospitalized for community-acquired pneumonia, 10 had confirmed pneumococcal infections, all from non-vaccine serotypes (1, 5, 7F, and 19A). The proportion of pneumococcal pneumonias was similar to that in two series from the same hospital before the vaccine era.

This study highlights that pneumococcal pneumonia is common in children who have received PCV7 vaccine, and is mainly due to non vaccine serotypes

The new conjugate vaccine, containing 13 valences, will protect children better, but this improvement may be only transient. Bacteriological monitoring of pneumonia remains essential.