Long-term surveillance of invasive pneumococcal disease: The impact of 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in the metropolitan region of Salvador, Brazil

Abstract

Background: In 2010, Brazil introduced the ten-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV10) in the national infant immunization program. Limited data on the long-term impact of PCV10 are available from lower-middle-income settings. We examined invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in Salvador, Bahia, over 11 years.

Methods: Prospective laboratory-based surveillance for IPD was carried out in 9 hospitals in the metropolitan region of Salvador from 2008 to 2018. IPD was defined as Streptococcus pneumoniae cultured from a normally sterile site. Serotype was determined by multiplex polymerase chain reaction and/or Quellung reaction. Incidence rates per 100,000 inhabitants were calculated for overall, vaccine-type, and non-vaccine-type IPD using census data as the denominator. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were calculated to compare rates during the early (2010-2012), intermediate (2013-2015), and late (2016-2018) post-PCV10 periods in comparison to the pre-PCV10 period (2008-2009).

Results: Pre-PCV10, overall IPD incidence among all ages was 2.48/100,000. After PCV10 introduction, incidence initially increased (early post-PCV10 IRR 3.80, 95% CI 1.18-1.99) and then declined to 0.38/100,000 late post-PCV10 (IRR 0.15; 95% CI 0.09-0.26). The greatest reductions in the late post-PCV10 period were observed in children aged ≤2 years, with no cases (IRR not calculated) and those ≥60 years (IRR 0.11, 95% CI 0.03-0.48). Late post-PCV10, significant reductions were observed for both PCV10 serotypes (IRR 0.02; 95% CI 0.0-0.15) and non-PCV10 serotypes (IRR 0.27; 95%CI 0.14-0.53). Non-PCV10 serotypes 15B, 12F, 3, 17F, and 19A became predominant late post-PCV10 without a significant increase in serotype-specific IPD incidence compared to pre-PCV10.

Conclusion: Significant declines in IPD, including among adults not eligible for vaccination, suggest direct and indirect protection up to nine years after PCV10 introduction, without evidence of significant replacement disease. Continued surveillance is needed to monitor changes in non-vaccine serotypes and inform decisions about introducing higher valent PCVs.

Keywords: 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine; Invasive pneumococcal disease; Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine; Streptococcus pneumoniae.