Prevention of pneumococcal disease in young children.

Increasing pneumococcal resistance to antimicrobial drugs, and the rapid spread of resistant strains throughout the world, underlines the importance of vaccination. Although traditional polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccines have been in use since the 1980s, and are effective among certain age groups, they do not provide protection to children under the age of two years who are at highest risk of infection from pneumococcal disease. The new conjugate vaccine is expected to contribute to a decreased need for antibiotic treatment, fewer GP visits and reduced hospitalisation rates.