Analysing the effect of the introduction of the PCV10 into the National Immunisation Schedule on the number of pneumococcal infections

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Vaccinating children with the 10- valent pneumococcal vaccine (PCV10) was introduced to the Maltese National Immunisation Schedule (NIS) in 2020. The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of the introduction of the PCV10 on the number of paediatric pneumococcal infections that needed hospitalisation.

METHOD: A retrospective analysis of the cases of Streptococcus pneumoniae in paediatric patients admitted to Mater Dei Hospital (MDH) during the winter months of January to March during the years 2017, 2018 (prior to introduction of the PCV10 vaccination) and 2022, 2023 (following the introduction of the PCV10 vaccination) was performed. Both respiratory screens and invasive samples (e.g., CSF, blood) which tested positive for S. pneumoniae were included in this study.

RESULTS: The mean percentage of cases of S. pneumoniae detected from the total number of admissions to MDH prior to the introduction of the PCV10 into the NIS was 64.8% (n=6, SD=27.0) as compared to 56.8% (n=6, SD=33.5) following the introduction of the PCV10 into the NIS.

CONCLUSION: This audit has demonstrated that a statistically significant reduction has been achieved in the percentage of pneumococcal admissions among the paediatric population following the introduction of PCV10 into the Maltese NIS. The p value for the mean percentage of cases of Streptococcus pneumoniae detected from the total number of admissions to MDH was 0.03, while the p value for the total cases of Streptococcus pneumoniae was 0.049.