Background The incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) declined during the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous studies hypothesized that this was due to reduced pneumococcal transmission resulting from non-pharmaceutical interventions. We used multiple ongoing cohort surveillance projects in children <5 years to test this hypothesis. Methods The first SARS-CoV-2 cases were detected in February-2020, resulting in a full lockdown, followed by several partial restrictions. Data from ongoing surveillance projects captured the incidence dynamics of community-acquired alveolar pneumonia (CAAP), non-alveolar lower respiratory infections necessitating chest X-rays (NA-LRI), nasopharyngeal pneumococcal carriage in non-respiratory visits, nasopharyngeal respiratory virus detection (by PCR), and nationwide invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). Monthly rates (January-2020 through February-2021 vs. mean monthly rates 2016-2019 [expected rates]) adjusted for age and ethnicity, were compared. Results CAAP and bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia were strongly reduced (incidence rate ratios, [IRRs] .07 and .19, respectively); NA-LRI and non-pneumonia IPD were also reduced, with a lesser magnitude (IRRs, .46 and .42, respectively). In contrast, pneumococcal carriage prevalence was only slightly reduced, and density of colonization and pneumococcal serotype distributions were similar to previous years. The decline in pneumococcus-associated disease was temporally associated with a full suppression of RSV, influenza viruses, and hMPV, often implicated as co-pathogens with pneumococcus. In contrast, adenovirus, rhinovirus, and parainfluenza activities were within or above expected levels. Conclusions Reductions in pneumococcal and pneumococcus-associated diseases occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic in Israel were not predominantly related to reduced pneumococcal carriage and density, but were strongly associated with the disappearance of specific respiratory viruses.

Background: Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) declined during the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous studies hypothesized that this was due to reduced pneumococcal transmission resulting from non-pharmacological interventions. We used multiple ongoing cohort surveillance projects in children <5 years to test this hypothesis. Methods: The first SARS-CoV-2 cases were detected in February-2020, resulting in a full lockdown, followed by several partial restrictions. Data from ongoing surveillance projects captured the incidence dynamics of community-acquired alveolar pneumonia (CAAP), non-alveolar lower respiratory infections necessitating chest X-rays (NA-LRI), nasopharyngeal pneumococcal carriage in non-respiratory visits, nasopharyngeal respiratory virus detection (by PCR), and nationwide invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). Monthly rates (January-2020 through February-2021 vs. mean monthly rates 2016-2019 [expected rates]) adjusted for age and ethnicity, were compared. Findings: CAAP and bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia were strongly reduced (incidence rate ratios, [IRRs] 0.07 and 0.19, respectively); NA-LRI and non-pneumonia IPD were also reduced, with a lesser magnitude (IRRs, 0.46 and 0.42, respectively). In contrast, pneumococcal carriage prevalence was only slightly reduced and density of colonization and pneumococcal serotype distributions were similar to previous years. The pneumococcus-associated disease decline was temporally associated with a full suppression of RSV, influenza viruses, and hMPV, often implicated as co-pathogens with pneumococcus. In contrast, adenovirus, rhinovirus, and parainfluenza activities were within or above expected levels. Interpretation: Reductions in pneumococcal and pneumococcus-associated diseases occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic were not predominantly related to reduced pneumococcal transmission and carriage but were strongly associated with the complete disappearance of specific respiratory viruses. Funding: Partially funded by Pfizer, Inc.

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Background Following 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) implementation in infants worldwide, overall and vaccine-type invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) rates declined in children, with variable indirect impact on adults. Methods A population-based, prospective, nationwide active surveillance of IPD in Israel, 2004-2019 (for adults ≥18 years, 2009-2019). The 7-valent PCV (PCV7)/PCV13 were implemented in Israel in July 2009/November 2010, respectively, with &gt;90% uptake in children &lt;2 years. The 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV-23) uptake among &gt;65 years was ~75%. For pre-PCV episodes with missing serotype, extrapolations were applied. Overall, PCV13 serotypes (VT13) and non-VT13 (NVT) incidence rates ratios (IRRs) comparing pre-PCV (2004-2008), early-PCV (2009-2011) and late-PCV13 (2016-2019) periods were calculated for different age groups. Results Overall, 8,614 IPD cases were recorded. IPD rates declined by 67% in children &lt;5 and 5-17 years, comparing late-PCV13 vs. pre-PCV periods (IRR=0.33; CI: 0.27-0.40; and IRR=0.33; CI: 0.21-0.50, respectively). For adults, comparing late-PCV13 vs. early-PCV periods, rates significantly declined by 53% in 18-44 years, while rates did not decline significantly in other age groups. VT13 rates significantly declined in all ages, with decline rates ranging between 94% in children &lt;5 years and 60% in adults ≥85 years. NVT rates significantly increased in &lt;5, 50-64 and ≥65 years age groups. In late-PCV13 period, serotypes 3, 14 and 19A remained the predominant VT13, while serotypes 8 and 12F emerged as the predominant NVT. Conclusions Continuous monitoring of circulating serotypes in all ages demonstrated direct and indirect PCV effects, which are essential for the development of new vaccination strategies.

Background Despite the demonstrated impact of pneumococcal vaccine (PCV) implementation on otitis media (OM), demonstration of real-life serotype-specific effectiveness of the 7- and 13-valent PCVs (PCV7 and PCV13) is lacking due to the paucity of culture-positive cases. . Furthermore, pre-licensure PCV13 efficacy against OM was not studied. Methods The study was conducted from October 2009 to July 2013. Cases were children aged 5-35 months-old with OM (mostly complex OM [recurrent/non-responsive, spontaneously draining, chronic with effusion) from whom middle-ear fluid (MEF) culture was obtained; controls were contemporary children with rotavirus-negative gastroenteritis in a prospective population-based rotavirus surveillance, from the same age group with similar ethnic distribution and geographic location. Vaccine effectiveness (VE, 95% CI) was estimated as one minus odds ratio using unconditional logistic regression, adjusting for time since PCV implementation, age and ethnicity. Results 223 cases and 1,370 controls were studied. Serotypes 19F and 19A together caused 56.1% of all vaccine-serotype OM. VE of ≥2 PCV doses in children 5-35m was demonstrated as follows: PCV7 against OM due to PCV7 serotypes (VT7-OM), 57.2% (6.0-80.5); PCV13 against VT13-OM, 77.4% (53.3-92.1), PCV13 against OM due to the 6 additional non-VT7 serotypes 67.4%, (17.6-87.1), PCV13 against 19F-OM, 91.3% (1.4-99.2); and PCV13 against serotype 3-OM, 85.2% (23.9-98.4%). PCV7 and PCV13 VE against serotype 19A-OM in children 12-35m was 72.4 (6.2-91.9) and 94.6% (33.9-99.6), respectively. Conclusions PCV7 and PCV13 were effective against complex OM caused by the targeted serotypes.