Changes in Serotype of Streptococcus pneumoniae After the Introduction of the 13-Valent Pneumococcal Vaccine in a Homogenous Population on Jeju Island.

We compared the serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae between the pre-pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV)13 era and post-PCV13 era among homogenous inhabitants of an isolated South Korean island. A total of 325 S. pneumoniae strains were isolated. In the pre-PCV13 era, 19A/F, 15A/F, 19B, and 23A serotypes were identified. In the post-PCV13 era, 15 serotypes were identified. The 19F and 23A serotypes showed the highest prevalence in the pre- and post-PCV13 era, respectively. After PCV13 introduction, the PCV 13 serotype coverage rate was decreased (80.0% and 30.5% in the pre- and post-PCV13 eras, respectively), while the proportion of non-PCV 13 serotypes increased.
Competing Interests: No conflicts of interest.
(Copyright © 2019 by The Korean Society of Infectious Diseases and Korean Society for Antimicrobial Therapy.)