摘要：The proceedings of the Pneumococcal Disease in Australia Workshop, held on 26-27 March 1999are presented in this report. The world-wide epidemiology of the pneumococcus, with itspredilection for the very young and the very old, differs between the developing and the developedworld, and between indigenous and non-indigenous populations. Sources of data on pneumococcal disease in each of the Australian States, clinical aspects of invasive and non-invasive disease, an dthe role of the public health laboratory in surveillance of serotypes and antimicrobial sensitivity ,both nationally and over time, were discussed at the Workshop. Polysaccharide pneumococcalvaccines are recommended for those over 65 years of age and for at-risk groups, but are suppliedfree of charge only in Victoria and for indigenous Australians over 50 years of age. Children willrequire conjugate vaccines, which are likely to be licensed in the United States of America early i n2000. In Australia indigenous children, especially in rural areas, will be the priority group forconjugate vaccines
