Streptococcal bacteriophage and Prevenar-13 vaccine are comparably effective in Pneumococcal pneumonia in patients with COPD
Abstract
<bold>Introduction:</bold> Patients with chronic respiratory diseases are particularly vulnerable to viral and bacterial pulmonary infections. <bold>Aim:</bold> To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of streptococcal bacteriophage and Prevenar-13 (P13) vaccine in patients with COPD with a positive serotypic profile of Str. pneumoniae. <bold>Methods:</bold> 74 patients with COPD positive for S. pneumoniae were examined. 45 patients received P-13, 32 of them had pneumococcal strains not covered by the vaccine serotypes. 29 patients were administered streptococcal bacteriophage, 12 of them had pneumococcal strains not covered by the vaccine serotypes. <bold>Results:</bold> The reduction in ARI frequency was 56.0±4.2% in the phage group, 57.4±7.8% in the P-13 group with covered serotypes, 62.0±10.9% in the phage group with non-covered serotypes, and 54.7±4.8% in the P-13 group with non-covered serotypes. The reduction in ARI duration was 20.7±5.9%, 31.1±8.2%, 16.0±6.6%, and 30.2±3.8%, respectively. The reduction in COPD exacerbation frequency was 57.7±6.6%, 53.8±6.2%, 40.0±8.6%, and 43.7±6.0%, respectively. The reduction in hospitalization frequency was 75.0±6.7%, 60.3±7.9%, 80.0±8.3%, and 63.4±7.9%, respectively. The reduction in the need for antibiotic therapy was 77.1±4.9%, 64.1±8.1%, 73.3±11.0%, and 54.0±6.6%, respectively. No statistically significant differences were observed between the groups. The protective effect of phage was significantly shorter (6 months) compared to P-13, which lasted up to 5 years. <bold>Conclusion:</bold> Bacteriophage and P-13 vaccine comparably reduce ARI frequency and duration, hospitalizations, and the need for antibiotic therapy in COPD patients regardless of pneumococcal serotype.