Otitis media is commonly an acute infection of childhood that is most prevalent in children during their first years of life. Otitis media leads to substantial healthcare costs related to physician visits, antibiotic expenditures, and, for complicated cases, surgical procedures such as tympanostomy-tube placement. Otitis media is also a major factor in antibiotic use and the expansion of antibiotic resistance.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is the predominant otitis media pathogen and its prevention through effective vaccination could diminish childhood illness and antibiotic use. This paper reviews 5 pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) trials that used otitis media as an endpoint: Northern California Kaiser Permanente (NCKP; vaccine, 7-valent PCV [PCV7]-CRM); Finnish Otitis Media (FinOM; vaccines, PCV7-CRM or PCV7-OMPC); Native American Trial (vaccine, PCV7-CRM); Pneumococcal Otitis Efficacy Trial (POET; vaccine, 11-valent PCV [PCV11]-PD).

The full paper can be found here:

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Source:
International Journal of Otolaryngology

This entry was posted on Monday, June 25th, 2012 (last updated)