Pneumococcal pneumonia trends in adults hospitalised with community-acquired pneumonia over 10 years (2013-2023) and the role of serotype 3.

Background: With higher valency pneumococcal vaccines on the horizon and new adult immunisation strategies under discussion, we aimed to evaluate the contribution of individual pneumococcal serotypes to the burden of pneumococcal community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Over 10 years, trends in pneumococcal pneumonia epidemiology in adults hospitalised with CAP were assessed. The risk factors and severity associated with serotype 3 were examined.

Effectiveness of group work among the final radiography students of the National Diploma.

Background: Group work is employed in higher education institutions to foster communication, collaborative learning, leadership qualities and teamwork skills. The rationale behind group work as a learning strategy is to ensure that graduates are equipped with teamwork skills.

Aim: The aim of this study was to establish whether the final-year radiography students of the National Diploma curriculum in three universities in South Africa were exposed to effective group work.

Carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae in adults hospitalised with community-acquired pneumonia.

Objectives: We aimed to determine the prevalence of and risk factors for nasopharyngeal and oral pneumococcal carriage in adults with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), and the relationship between carried and disease-causing serotypes.

Methods: Between 2016 and 2018, nasopharyngeal swabs, oral-fluid, and urine were collected from hospitalised adults recruited into a prospective cohort study of CAP. Pneumococcal carriage was detected by semi-quantitative real-time PCR of direct and culture-enriched nasopharyngeal swabs and culture-enriched oral-fluid.