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Immunization practices are frequently changing as our understanding of the basic concepts of host-parasite interactions grows and research in the area of new vaccines continues. The present review attempts to summarize current practices and the scientific data on which they are based. A complete historical review of the subject is beyond the scope of this report which is only intended to survey developments in the field over the past few years and up until October 1972.

A 10-year retrospective study was made to determine the spectrum of underlying disease in, and the capsular types of pneumococci isolated from, blood and body fluids of 140 hospitalized patients. Fifteen serotypes were found among 82 typed isolates, 53% of which were types 8, 14, or 23. There was a predominance of males and a high incidence of underlying pneumonia, chronic liver disease, nephrotic syndrome, cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea, and malignancy. Mortality rates were higher among the very young and aged, and the immunologically comprised host at either extreme of life was more susceptible to disseminated pneumococcal infection. Pneumococci of the higher capsular types were prominent in children, and those of the lower types in adults, a finding in agreement with other recent studies.