SIREVA II Regional Report, 2019 (In Spanish)

Since 1993, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has promoted regional surveillance of S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, and N. meningitidis with the aim of providing data to guide the use and impact of vaccines targeting these pathogens. The regional network of sentinel laboratories and hospitals thus established, currently known as the Surveillance Network for Bacterial Pneumonia and Meningitis (SIREVA II), generates information on the serotypes/serogroups identified in invasive bacterial processes and provides useful evidence for vaccine formulation. It also produces information on the susceptibility of these pathogens to penicillin and other antimicrobials of importance for the clinical management of patients. On the other hand, the Latin American Network for Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance (ReLAVRA), created by PAHO in 1996, collects complementary information on the antibiotic sensitivity of these three pathogens. Close interaction between the two networks is critical for obtaining the most complete data for decision-making. At the country level, there is overlap in the institutions participating in both networks, while at the regional level, data are analyzed and discussed, and interventions are prioritized. This report summarizes the information provided by SIREVA II corresponding to the surveillance carried out by the network laboratories in 2019. PAHO urges countries in the region to continue strengthening their surveillance networks by incorporating new technologies to achieve better epidemiological characterization of invasive bacterial diseases, and encourages them to consolidate the joint work of laboratory networks such as SIREVA and ReLAVRA, optimizing the use of available human, technical, and financial resources. The information generated by these networks only achieves its full value if it is used in decision-making and is accompanied by universal and sustainable access to vaccines that prevent invasive bacterial diseases.