Activities

• We conduct a clinical epidemiological study of adult pneumococcal pneumonia in Japan. The purpose of this study is to determine the serotype distribution of pneumococcal pneumonia and epidemiological characteristics of each serotype. We aim to recommend vaccine policies of pneumococcal vaccine for older people using these data. Using the latest serotype distribution obtained from the surveillance, we are analyzing cost-effectiveness of pneumococcal vaccines in the older people in collaboration with Yokohama City University and University of Tokyo.
• A surveillance study of adult acute respiratory tract infections at seven hospitals in Japan is in progress. In this project, we aim to identify pathogens specific disease burden through comprehensive pathogen diagnosis using multiplex PCR and QoL surveys.
• With regard to COVID-19, we performed outbreak investigation in nursing care facilities. We also investigate the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines on onset of disease, hospitalization, and sever illness by COVID-19 in Japan.
• In Nepal, two projects on diagnostic method of pediatric pneumonia and on pneumococcal carriage among children have been conducted.