Risk Factors

Young children are at a higher risk of catching pneumococcal disease because they are lack the antibodies to fight the bacteria. The pneumococcal bug resides in the nose and throat of healthy adults and children.

The infection is air-borne, which means it can be passed from one child to another in droplets that are released into the air by sneezing and coughing. Although most children become carriers at some time or other, not all will become sick.

These factors mean that some groups are at particularly high risk for catching pneumococcal disease, especially those who are under 2 years of age, who attend day-care recently, have had at least one recent course of antibiotics, have a history of ear infection, and children with chronic disease or those who are immuno-compromised.