Characteristics of Children with Pneumococcal Meningitis
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Characteristics of Children with Pneumococcal Meningitis in United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland
IRAS ID
257619
Contact name
Shamez Ladhani
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
UKHSA
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 11 months, 30 days
Research summary
Streptococcus pneumoniae (also known as the pneumococcus) is is one of the major causes of bacterial meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain) in the world. It causes severe disability and death. In developed countries such as the UK, up to a third of survivors of pneumococcal meningitis may develop disabilities such as deafness, blindness, epilepsy and cerebral palsy.
There are almost 100 different strains of the pneumococcus. The UK and Ireland introduced a vaccine against the seven most common strains (PCV7) in their immunisation programmes in 2006 and 2008, respectively, and this vaccine was then replaced with one that protected against 13 strains (PCV13) in 2010. Both vaccines have led to rapid and sustained reductions in serious pneumococcal infections in children and adult as well, because of indirect (herd) protection. The overall reduction in pneumococcal disease, however, has been associated with a small and steady increase in disease due to strains that are not covered by the current vaccines. Currently, nearly all invasive pneumococcal infections in children are caused by strains not covered by the existing 13-valent vaccine.
We would like to know how many children develop pneumococcal meningitis in the UK and Ireland, the pneumococcal strains that cause meningitis, the clinical severity, the treatment given to the children and their outcome. This will provide important information for doctors treating children with meningitis, for public health specialists who monitor infectious diseases and for policy makers who are responsible for overseeing the vaccine programme.
REC name
London - Dulwich Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/LO/0978
Date of REC Opinion
25 Jun 2019
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion