Estimated pneumococcal disease burden in children due to serotypes covered by different pneumococcal conjugate vaccines in five Latin American countries

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Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) have significantly reduced disease burden in Latin America, but serotypes not included in these vaccines still pose a risk.
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PCV20 serotypes are estimated to cause over 510,000 cases and approximately 2,700 deaths annually across five Latin American countries.
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The annual economic burden of pneumococcal disease in these countries exceeds USD $182 million, with societal costs surpassing USD $34 million.
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Non-invasive diseases like pneumonia and otitis media account for the majority of the clinical, economic, and societal burden from pneumococcal disease.
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Higher-valent vaccines like PCV15 and PCV20 could address the remaining disease burden and further reduce the public health impact in young children.

Frontiers In Pediatrics

by Sophie Warren, Rafael Bolanos, Lucila Rey-Ares, Juan Manuel Reyes, Jose Luis Huerta, Alana Ranzi, Rodrigo Fernandes Alexandre, Maria Gabriela Abalos, Liping Huang
May 21, 2026

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