It is also a common cause of sinus infections in adults and middle ear infections in children. Approximately 500 cases of meningitis are caused by pneumococcus each year in Canada. Meningitis caused by this organism occurs as an isolated event or complication of illness in an individual. Outbreaks of meningitis due to pneumococcal disease have never occurred. The symptoms of pneumococcal pneumonia include fever, chills, pain in the chest when breathing and a cough that produces a greenish, yellowish or rusty sputum.
Many infections can start as a mild flu-like illness, making diagnosis difficult.
Pneumococcal vaccine is available through family physicians for those persons who have any of the risk factors outlined about. The primary purpose of this vaccine is to prevent the development of pneumonia in at-risk individuals. To date there have been no reported cases of meningococcal meningitis in Waterloo Region in 1999. A total of 3 cases of meningococcal meningitis were reported in the Region in 1998 following the completion of the immunization campaign. None were related to the outbreak of group C meningococcal disease.