GLOBAL CHANGES IN STREPTOCOCCUS PNEUMONIAE SEROTYPES AND ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE PATTERNS IN PEDIATRIC BACTERIAL MENINGITIS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Abstract

This article analyzes global changes in the distribution of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes and antimicrobial resistance profiles in pediatric bacterial meningitis following the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines. A systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 recommendations, including seven highly relevant epidemiological studies selected from PubMed, SciELO databases. The results demonstrate a consolidated reduction in vaccine serotypes and the concomitant emergence of non-vaccine serotypes (19A, 15A, 24F, and 33F). Critical evaluation using the Joanna Briggs Institute and Newcastle-Ottawa tools revealed high methodological rigor in most studies, although selection biases due to the lack of control for prior antibiotic therapy were detected in data from low-income countries. The consolidation of multidrug-resistant clones through capsular switch represents a critical gap in current empirical therapy efficacy, demanding the expansion of global genomic surveillance and rapid implementation of expanded-spectrum vaccines in public schedules. It is concluded that strict monitoring of these patterns is vital to mitigate invasive disease mortality in childhood.