[Efficacy of the heptavalent pneumococcal vaccine against meningitis, pneumonia and acute otitis media in pediatric age. Theoretical coverage offered by the heptavalent conjugate vaccine in Italy]

All the clinical trials carried out to evaluate the heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine have clearly demonstrated that it is safe, well tolerated and, despite some differences in the different diseases, effective in the prevention of all the pneumococcal illnesses. Considering that the available data demonstrate that the serotypes involved in the determination of pneumococcal diseases are, in Italy, the same found in the U.S.A. where the vaccine has been formulated, it is reasonable to think that it will be very effective also in our country. We hope that this vaccine can be systematically prescribed also in Italy: this could permit to reduce the number of both common and severe pneumococcal diseases at the moment largely present among italian children.