Karol Králinský, Lucia Maďarová, Edita Bottková, Svetozár Dluholucký, Cyril Klement, Mária Avdičová, Soňa Feiková
Streptococcus pneumoniae is causal agent of invasive pneumococcal diseases (IPD), which endangers mainly immunocompromised
patients, elderly person over 65 year of age and children. According to the WHO the estimated number of
all deaths caused by pneumococci in children under five is 0,5 mil. per year. Serotype specific vaccination by pneumococcal
conjugate vaccines is available to protect risk groups. Since 2009 vaccination against pneumococci is a part of National
Immunization Programme in Slovakia. Over the past five years, the situation is the occurrence of IPD in children < 5 years
of age is relatively stable. Low number of IPD cases in this age group and a significant decrease in PCV7 serotypes can be
clearly attributed to the success of the vaccination against pneumococci. However, the number of reported IPD cases is
increasing in older age groups and in the second risk group > 65 years of age. The low increasing in non-vaccine serotypes
occurrence was reported. Monitoring of IPD serotypes distribution and changes in serotype epidemiology of S. pneumoniae,
which are responsible for IPD, is in current era of mandatory vaccination of children necessary.