On April 23, 2014, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) announced this year’s first death from invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in a one-year-and-five-month-old girl who had not received the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. On April 1, she developed cough, rhinitis, vomiting and fever. Her conditions improved after seeking medical attention at a clinic. However, on April 3, she experienced high fever, lack of appetite and decreased activity and sought further medical attention. When she was diagnosed with pneumonia, she was transferred to a medical center. Nevertheless, her conditions worsened rapidly and she died of respiratory failure and septic shock despite extensive medical treatment. It was determined that she was infected with Streptococcus pneumoniae types 19A.

According to surveillance data collected by Taiwan CDC, thus far this year, as of April 20, a total of 265 cases of IPD have been confirmed. Among them, 29 cases are infants and children aged below 5 and half of these cases (14) were infected with Streptococcus pneumoniae types 19A. During 2008 and 2013, on average, about 120 to 200 cases of IPD in infants and children aged below 5 were reported annually and the average mortality rate was about 3.3%. Over the recent years, the percentage of infants and children infected with Streptococcus pneumoniae types 19A has been comparatively higher than before. Hence, Taiwan CDC reminds families with infants and children to take prevention measures to ward off infection.

Taiwan CDC points out that pneumococcal infection often leads to severe pneumonia, meningitis and septicaemia in children. Vaccination can reduce the likelihood of severe complications and even death, thus lowering the carriage rate of Streptococcus pneumoniae in children and consequently protecting the elderly in the family. Beginning this year, Taiwan CDC expands the target individuals for PCV 13 to children born between 2009 and 2013 and aged above one to lower the risk of Streptococcus pneumoniae type 19A infection in this population. Those who have not received the vaccine and aged between one and below two are recommended to receive 2 doses of PCV 13. Those who have not received PCV 10 or PCV 13 before the age of 1, but have received 1 dose of PCV 10 or PCV 13 when they aged between one and below two are recommended to receive one more dose of PCV 13. Those who have received PCV 10 or PCV 13 and completed the basal dose before the age of 1 are recommended to receive another dose of PCV 13 when they aged between one and two. Those who have received PCV 10 or PCV 13, but have not completed the basal dose before the age of 1 are recommended to receive two doses of PCV 13. Taiwan CDC urges parents to ensure timely vaccination of children meeting the eligibility criteria for the government-funded PCV13 vaccine. In addition, children who were born in 2009 must complete the vaccination before the end of this year to be eligible for the government-funded vaccine.

For more information, please visit the Taiwan CDC’s website at http://www.cdc.gov.tw or call the toll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Care Hotline, 1922, or 0800-001922 if calling from a cell phone.