Educational Material
Transmission of Pneumococcal Disease
How is it spread?
• Nasopharyngeal carriage
• Incubation time 1-3 days
• Picked up by close contact
- Pre school 60%
- Primary school 35%
- High school 25%
- Adults who have children in their household 18-29%
Who are at risk?
• Underlying medical conditions
- Congenital or acquired immunodeficiency
- Sickle cell disease, asplenia, HIV
- Pulmonary disease
- Chronic heart disease
- Chronic renal insufficiency, nephrotic syndrome
- Diabetes
- Prematurity
- Existing or cochlear implants
• Age
- Children younger than 2 years old
• Ethnic group
- Asians
- Hispanics
- Blacks
- Native Americans
• Child care outside the home
- Child regularly looked after outside of the home at least 4 hours per week, and in the presence of at least two other children other than siblings