Pneumococcal disease is a serious infection that occurs most commonly in children, particularly those under 2 years of age. Learn more about this potentially life-threatening disease and how you can prevent it.

What is Pneumococcal Disease?

Pneumococcal disease is a group of illnesses caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae, also known as pneumococcus. The pneumococcus bug can cause meningitis (infection of the lining of the brain), pneumonia (infection of the lung), septicaemia (blood infection), as well as otitis media (infection in the middle ear).

Pneumococcal disease can be very serious, and may lead to permanent hearing loss, brain damage and death.