High Prevalence of Vaccine-Type Infections Among Children with Pneumococcal Pneumonia and Effusion After 13-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Introduction in the Dominican Republic.

Background: In 2013, the Dominican Republic introduced 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) using a 3-dose schedule (at 2, 4 and 12 months of age). We evaluated the impact of PCV13 on serotypes causing pneumococcal pneumonia with pleural effusion.

Methods: Surveillance data after PCV13 introduction (July 2014 to June 2016) were compared with data before PCV13 introduction (July 2009 to June 2011).

Effectiveness of 13-pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) against invasive pneumococcal disease in children in the Dominican Republic.

Background: Limited data are available on the effectiveness of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) in resource-poor settings and PCV naïve populations. The Dominican Republic introduced PCV13 in September 2013 using a 2 + 1 schedule (2, 4, and 12 months) without a catch-up campaign. We evaluated PCV13 effectiveness against vaccine-type (VT) invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) among children in the Dominican Republic.

Aetiology of paediatric pneumonia with effusion in the Dominican Republic and the potential impact of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines.

Pleural effusion is a serious complication of pneumonia, and is a leading cause. We describe the aetiology of pneumonia with effusion among children in the Dominican Republic before the introduction of the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) in 2013 and the performance characteristics of a rapid immunochromatographic test (ICT) for detecting in pleural fluid. From July 2009 to June 2011, we enrolled children <15 years old admitted with pneumonia and pleural effusion to Robert Reid Cabral Children's Hospital, Dominican Republic.

Impact of Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine on bacterial meningitis in the Dominican Republic.

Objectives: Widespread use of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccines has dramatically reduced the burden of Hib disease throughout the Americas. Few studies have evaluated the impact of Hib vaccination on non-culture-confirmed disease. This study analyzed trends in probable bacterial meningitis before and after the introduction of Hib vaccine in the Dominican Republic and estimated vaccine effectiveness against Hib meningitis.