S. pneumoniae can cause both invasive diseases (such as a meningitis or a blood stream infection) and non-invasive diseases (such as pneumonia). Only invasive disease is reportable to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Invasive disease symptoms can be different depending on the type of infection the disease has caused.
- Pneumococcal pneumonia symptoms: include fever, cough, chills, shortness of breath, and chest pain. Pneumococcal meningitis symptoms: include stiff neck, fever, mental confusion and disorientation, and visual sensitivity to light.
- Pneumococcal bacteremia (infection in the bloodstream) symptoms: may be similar to symptoms of pneumonia and meningitis and may also include joint pain and chills.
- Sepsis (complication caused by the body’s overwhelming and life-threatening response to an infection) symptoms: confusion or disorientation, shortness of breath, high heart rate, fever, shivering, or feeling very cold, extreme pain or discomfort, clammy or sweaty skin.
Complications of S. pneumoniae invasive disease can include brain damage, hearing loss, limb loss, and death.
Groups at increased risk for invasive disease caused by S. pneumoniae:
- Children younger than two years old
- Children in group childcare settings
- People who are 65 years old and older
- People with weak immune systems due to cancer, leukemia, Hodgkin’s disease, or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
- People with long-term or chronic illnesses such as lung, heart, or kidney disease, diabetes or sickle cell disease
- People without a functioning spleen
- People with alcoholism
- Residents of long-term care facilities