Distribution of serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated from invasive infections over a 16-year period in the greater São Paulo area, Brazil.

Capsular types of pneumococci from normally sterile body sites of 1,622 patients in Brazil were analyzed. Of 1,477 isolates from cerebrospinal fluid, 76.1% were of types represented in the currently available pneumococcal vaccine. The importance of age, time, and place in determining the optimal formulation of pneumococcal vaccine is considered.