High Streptococcus pneumoniae colonization prevalence among HIV-infected Kenyan parents in the year before pneumococcal conjugate vaccine introduction

Background Streptococcus pneumoniae is a leading cause of pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis in developing countries, particularly among children and HIV-infected persons. Pneumococcal oropharyngeal (OP) or nasopharyngeal (NP) colonization is a precursor to development of invasive disease. New conjugate vaccines hold promise for reducing colonization and disease.