Pneumococcal disease burden from an Indian perspective: Need for its prevention in pulmonology practice

Globally, pneumococcal diseasesare a significant public health concern. They are preventable and frequently occur among older adults. Major risk factors for the diseaseare extremes of age, alcohol intake, smoking, air pollution, and comorbid conditions (diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic kidney disease, liver disease, and heart disease). Risk factors, coupled with limited disease-burdendata and the emergence of antibiotics resistance, are hindering the effective management of the diseasein older adults. Various global guidelines recommend pneumococcal vaccinesfor the prevention of pneumococcal diseases, as they reduce disease burden, hospitalization, and mortality rates among patients with comorbid conditions. Besides being an integral part of childhood immunization, these vaccines are advocated by various Indian healthcare bodies/groups for older and younger adults with certain medical conditions. The article presents an overview of the closed-door discussion by the Indian pulmonary experts on the scientific evidence and clinical practice followed for the prevention of pneumococcal diseasein India.