Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) is a Gram-positive bacterium that frequently colonises the nasopharynx of healthy humans. In susceptible hosts, especially children under 5 years with underdeveloped immune systems ...

Patients with sepsis need to be distinguished from those with systemic inflammation due to non-infectious causes (SIRS) so that empiric antimicrobial therapy can be administered timeously to those with sepsis. The current ...