Abstract:
Pneumococcal infections continue to cause significant morbidity and mortality
in patients throughout the world. This microorganism remains the most
common bacterial cause of community-acquired pneumonia and is associated
with a considerable burden of disease and health-care costs in both developed
and developing countries. Emerging antibiotic resistance has been a concern
because of its potential negative impact on the outcome of patients who receive
standard antibiotic therapy. However, there have been substantial changes in
the epidemiology of this pathogen in recent years, not least of which has been
due to the use of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines in children, with
subsequent herd protection in unvaccinated adults and children. Furthermore,
much recent research has led to a better understanding of the virulence factors
of this pathogen and their role in the pathogenesis of severe pneumococcal
disease, including the cardiac complications, as well as the potential role of
adjunctive therapy in the management of severely ill cases. This review will
describe recent advances in our understanding of the epidemiology, virulence
factors, and management of pneumococcal community-acquired pneumonia.
