Table 4
Details of seven OPSI cases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, which might represent possible vaccine failure
| Case | Cause of splenectomy | Age at time of OPSI | Time interval between vaccination and OPSI | Pneumococcal serotype | Patient taking antibiotic prophylaxis at time of OPSI | Fatal episode |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| *On penicillin 250 mg twice daily, with infecting pneumococcal strain sensitive to penicillin. | ||||||
| †On erythromycin 500 mg daily, with infecting pneumococcal strain resistant to erythromycin. | ||||||
| OPSI, overwhelming postsplectomy infection. | ||||||
| 17 | Accidental damage at surgery | 47 | 5 years | 12F | No | Yes |
| 22 | Hodgkin's disease | 32 | 15 months | 22F | Yes* | Yes |
| 33 | Haemolytic anaemia | 33 | 2 months | 23F | No | No |
| 35 | Non-Hodgkins lymphoma | 52 | 2 years | 6B | Yes† | No |
| 53 | Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura | 33 | 8 months | 9V | No | No |
| 67 | Accidental damage at surgery | 63 | 18 months | 7F | No | No |
| 77 | Unspecified lymphoproliferative haematological disorder | 35 | 4 years | 20 | No | Yes |
