Streptococcus pneumoniae, or pneumococcus, is a type of bacteria that causes many different kinds of infections ranging from ear infections and sinus infections to pneumonia and meningitis. That is because more than 90 variants of this bacterium exist. This type of strep infection is different from the bacteria causing strep throat. Streptococci do not mutate as easily as Staphylococci and thus have not developed resistance to antibiotics as rapidly as Staph. There are Streptoccus peumoniae vaccines for aduls and children.