A four-stage strategy to reduce childhood pneumonia-related mortality by 2015 and beyond

The global community has considered several vaccines to reduce pneumonia morbidity and mortality among children <5 years. Recent burden estimates support pneumococcal vaccine introduction, however, influenza vaccine has received only recent attention. The effect of influenza vaccine on early childhood pneumonia has not been adequately explored. As part of an integrated four-stage strategy, both pneumococcal and influenza vaccine impact on pneumonia burden reduction should be evaluated in controlled trials in tropical and sub-tropical Asian and African countries, along with evaluation of new aetiology diagnostics, research into common pneumonia mortality pathways and interventions targeting those pathways.