Incidence of pneumococcal disease and pneumococcal vaccine uptake among US adults by age and risk groups

PURPOSE: This retrospective cohort study estimated pneumococcal vaccine uptake and the annual incidence rates of pneumococcal disease (PD), including invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), non-bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia (NBPP), and all-cause pneumonia (ACP) among adults in the United States (US). METHODS: Medical insurance claims data from 2017 to 2023 were analyzed. Incidence rates per 100,000 person-years and vaccine uptake were estimated overall and stratified by age group (18-49, 50-64, ≥65 years) and risk category (high, moderate, low). Ranges represent the lowest and highest annual outcome estimates observed during the 2017 to 2023 study period. RESULTS: During the study period, a total of 4,763 cases of IPD, 6,595 cases of NBPP, and 1,450,960 cases of ACP were identified. Across all outcomes, annual incidence rates were consistently highest among individuals classified as the high-risk group, with rates ranging from 25.1-51.0 for IPD, 26.6-69.5 for NBPP, and 7,047.9-10,732.0 for ACP. Similarly, elevated incidence rates were observed among adults ≥65 years (IPD, 15.4-42.0; NBPP, 18.7-68.8; ACP, 6,466.8-10,924.2). In general, the absolute burden of PD was highest among adults 50-64 years of age from 2017 to 2021 and among adults aged ≥65 years in 2022 to 2023. Vaccine uptake was highest among individuals ≥65 years (12.4-21.9%) compared with other age and risk groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified a high incidence of PD and a low rate of pneumococcal vaccine uptake among US adults, highlighting opportunities for improvement that could help reduce the burden of PD in the US.