Invasive Pneumococcal Pneumonia and Respiratory Virus Co-infections

Abstract

To confirm whether respiratory virus infections increase susceptibility to invasive pneumococcal pneumonia, we examined data from 11 influenza seasons (1994–2005) in the United States. Invasive pneumococcal pneumonia was significantly associated with influenza and respiratory syncytial virus activities in 5 seasons. Association strength was higher when strain H3N2 was the predominant influenza A virus strain.

Keywords

• Pneumococcal diseases
• pneumonia
• influenza
• H3N2
• respiratory syncytial virus
• temporal association