What is a pneumococcal infection?

A pneumococcal infection is an infection caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae, which is also called the pneumococcus. S. pneumoniae is a common member of the bacterial flora colonizing the nose and throat of 5–10% of healthy adults and 20–40% of healthy children.However, it is also a cause of significant disease, being a leading cause of pneumonia, bacterial meningitis, and sepsis.