What is a pneumococcal infection?

Pneumococcal infections are caused by a bacterium called Streptococcus pneumoniae, which is responsible for common infections such as ear infections, sinusitis, and pneumonia, as well as sepsis and meningitis. They most often affect vulnerable individuals (people with chronic illnesses, young children, seniors, etc.), but vaccination can help prevent some of these infections.

• Everything you need to know about the disease

Key Findings for 2019 on Pneumococcal Infections

• 3,862 invasive pneumococcal infections in mainland France, representing an incidence of 8.3 cases per 100,000 inhabitants across all age groups (Epibac network).

• The incidence continued to rise compared to 2018, confirming the upward trend observed since 2015, particularly among children under 2 years of age, those aged 5–14, and adults aged 65 and older.

Pneumococcal Vaccination

Pneumococcal vaccination is recommended for all infants as well as people of all ages who have certain chronic conditions or a weakened immune system. It protects against serious infections such as pneumonia and, most importantly, meningitis and sepsis caused by pneumococci whose serotypes are covered by the vaccine.

There are two types of pneumococcal vaccine:

• the 13-valent pneumococcal vaccine

• the 23-valent pneumococcal vaccine

What are the recommendations?

For infants born on or after January 1, 2018, vaccination against invasive pneumococcal infections is mandatory with three doses of the 13-valent vaccine at 2, 4, and 11 months of age.

For infants born before January 1, 2018, vaccination is recommended starting at 2 months of age, with 3 doses of the 13-valent vaccine at 2, 4, and 11 months of age.

Starting at age 2, vaccination is recommended for individuals at high risk of severe pneumococcal infections, regardless of age (respiratory failure, kidney failure, diabetes, etc.).

Vaccination-info-service.fr: the go-to website for vaccination information

Santé publique France has launched a website dedicated to vaccination, featuring a section on vaccination against pneumococcal infections.

The vaccination-info-service.fr website is a leading resource on vaccination for the general public and healthcare professionals. It provides factual, practical, and scientifically validated information to answer various types of questions (searching for information by profile, about a specific disease, about vaccination in general, or about a particular vaccine, etc.). People are encouraged to review their vaccination status and consult their doctor for more information regarding their specific situation.

Santé publique France also reminds the public that practicing preventive measures such as hand hygiene or wearing a mask if experiencing respiratory symptoms helps protect against infections transmitted through direct and close contact, such as pneumococcal infections.

• Explore the documents on preventing pneumococcal infections intended for healthcare professionals and the general public

See also

• Pneumococcal vaccination coverage data by age group

• Pneumococcal vaccination coverage data in specific populations

• Subnational pneumococcal vaccination coverage data