Decreased Antibiotic Use for Acute Otitis Media and Acute Sinusitis Following Implementation of Childhood PCV13 Immunization

Acute otitis media (AOM) and acute sinusitis (AS) are significant reasons for outpatient visits and antibiotic prescriptions. Previous studies have demonstrated reduced rates of AOM and AS after introduction of the 13-valent pneumococcal vaccine (PCV13), but the impact on antibiotic use and prescriptions is of great interest. In a retrospective cohort study of the effects of childhood PCV13 immunization in British Columbia, Canada, researchers evaluated rates of AOM, AS, and antibiotic prescriptions during 2000–2010 (pre-PCV13) compared with 2011–2018 (post-PCV13).

Throughout the study period (2000–2018), the overall incidence of AOM in all age groups fell by 50% (from 62 to 31 per 1000 persons), and AS incidence declined by 18% (from 33 to …