Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

November 17, 2020

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Invasive Pneumococcal Disease and Risk of Pneumococcal Coinfection with SARS-CoV-2: Prospective National Cohort Study, England

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A national cohort study in England found a 30% decline in invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) incidence across all age groups following COVID-19 lockdowns, similar to other reported reductions in bacterial and viral infections attributable to social distancing measures. Although IPD/COVID-19 co-infections were rare (about 0.025% of SARS-CoV-2 infections), the case fatality rates were much higher than for COVID-19 or IPD alone, which could indicate a synergistic relationship between the two pathogens.

Amin-Chowdhury et al. (Nov 16, 2020). Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Invasive Pneumococcal Disease and Risk of Pneumococcal Coinfection with SARS-CoV-2: Prospective National Cohort Study, England. Clinical Infectious Diseases. https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciaa1728