Pneumococcal population structure influences the effects of air pollution on invasive disease risk in South Africa

Nature Microbiology, Published online: 14 September 2026; doi:10.1038/s41564-026-02458-5 Air quality and climate factors alter the risk of invasive pneumococcal diseases such as meningitis. Importantly, the lineage and serotype (population structure) of circulating bacteria can alter how quickly disease risk rises in the weeks following exposure.