An outbreak of type 1 pneumococcal pneumonia in a men's shelter

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Abstract
A striking increase in blood culture isolates of S. pneumoniae capsular type 1 was noted at Boston City Hospital [USA], in early 1978. The increased incidence of type 1 pneumococcal bacteremia was due, at least in part, to an outbreak of disease among alcoholic, male clients of Boston''s largest shelter. Residents of the shelter had a high rate of nose and throat carriage of type 1 pneumococci. This outbreak of bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia is compared with endemic disease caused by other serotypes observed at Boston City Hospital during the same period and with previous studies of epidemic pneumococcal disease. Routine serotyping of pneumococcal isolates is important, especially in light of the emergence of pneumococci resistant to multiple antibiotics and the renewed use of polysaccharide vaccines.