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MacKenzie, GA; Plumb, ID; Sambou, S; Saha, D; Uchendu, U; Akinsola, B; Ikumapayi, UN; Baldeh, I; Usuf, E; Touray, K; Jasseh, M; Howie, S; Wattiaux, A; Lee, E; Knoll, MD; Levine, OS; Greenwood, BM; Adegbola, RA; Hill, PC; (2012) Monitoring the Introduction of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines into West Africa: Design and Implementation of a Population-Based Surveillance System. PLoS medicine, 9 (1). e1001161. ISSN 1549-1277 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1001161

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Abstract

Routine use of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) in developing countries is expected to lead to a significant reduction in childhood deaths. However, PCVs have been associated with replacement disease with non-vaccine serotypes. We established a population-based surveillance system to document the direct and indirect impact of PCVs on the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and radiological pneumonia in those aged 2 months and older in The Gambia, and to monitor changes in serotype-specific IPD. Here we describe how this surveillance system was set up and is being operated as a partnership between the Medical Research Council Unit and the Gambian Government. This surveillance system is expected to provide crucial information for immunisation policy and serves as a potential model for those introducing routine PCV vaccination in diverse settings.

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