Background: Acute otitis media (AOM) is a common childhood disease frequently caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV7, PCV10, PCV13) can reduce the risk of AOM but may also shift AOM etiology and serotype distribution. The aim of this study was to review estimates from published literature of the burden of AOM in Europe after widespread use of PCVs over the past 10 years, focusing on incidence, etiology, serotype distribution and antibiotic resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae, and economic burden.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPharmacovigilance is defined by the World Health Organization as the science and practice related to the detection, assessment, understanding and prevention of adverse drug reactions (ADRs). In a well-functioning pharmacovigilance system, information on possible ADRs is collected from patients, health professionals and marketing authorisation holders. Of all data sources for drug safety monitoring, spontaneous reporting systems provide the highest volume of information at the lowest maintenance cost and have proven their value in the early detection of product-related safety issues.
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