Vaccines Health Center
Pneumococcal Vaccination for Adults
The pneumococcal vaccine prevents serious blood, brain, and lung infections due to the Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. Such infections are called pneumococcal disease -- they include pneumonia, meningitis, and septicemia.
Pneumococcal disease is a serious health threat that can lead to death. Many strains of Streptococcus pneumonia are resistant to currently used antibiotics. Infection with the bacteria is a leading cause of serious illness in adults and children worldwide. In the U.S. alone, more people die from pneumococcal disease each year than all other vaccine-preventable diseases combined.
4 Lifesaving Vaccines Adults Need
Kids aren't the only ones who should go in for their immunizations. We grown-ups require vaccines and booster shots too, but many of us aren't getting them. In fact, about 50,000 American adults die every year from vaccine-preventable diseases, says the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases — primarily the flu. Read on to find out if you should go in for one of these vaccines now.1. Flu vaccine What it does: Prevents influenza, the highly contagious respiratory illness...
Read the 4 Lifesaving Vaccines Adults Need article > >
Vaccination is the best way to prevent pneumococcal disease. One pneumococcal vaccine used in adults protects against 23 strains of Streptococcus pneumonia bacteria. It is called pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) and marketed under the brand name Pneumovax. PPSV23 is made using dead bacteria. The dead germs cannot make you sick.
PPSV23 is not the same as the pneumococcal vaccine routinely given to infants. The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine PCV 13 (Prevnar 13) is used for infants and toddlers but was approved by the FDA in 2011 for use in adults age 50 and older.
When Should Adults Get a Pneumococcal Vaccine?
The pneumococcal vaccine can be given at any time of the year. PPSV23 is recommended for the following adults:
- Those age 65 or older.
- Those age 19 to 64 who smoke or have asthma.
- People with lung, heart, liver, or kidney disease.
- Those with a chronic (long-term) disease or condition, including diabetes, cirrhosis, sickle cell disease, cerebrospinal fluid leak, cochlear implant, and alcoholism.
- People with a weakened immune system due to conditions or diseases such as Hodgkin’s disease, lymphoma or leukemia, multiple myeloma, HIV/AIDs, kidney failure, spleen damage or no spleen, and an organ transplant.
- Patients who take medications that weaken the immune system, including chemotherapy drugs and long-term steroids, or who are receiving radiation therapy.
- Those living in a nursing home or long-term care home.
Although the FDA approved Prevnar 13 for use in adults 50 and older, the FDA does not make recommendations for the use of vaccines Those are made by the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). Early in 2012, the ACIP voted to withhold recommendations for Prevnar 13 until results are in from current trials that are further evaluating the effectiveness and safety of the vaccine in adults. Those results are expected in 2013.
In the meantime, the decision to administer Prevnar 13 is a decision a doctor and patient can make together. Your doctor can discuss the benefits and potential concerns with you. If you and your doctor decide to go ahead with Prevnar 13, you'll need to check with your insurance company to see if it's covered.
Who Needs a Booster Shot of the Pneumococcal Vaccine?
Some people may need a booster shot after five years. The doctor will recommend a second dose of PPSV23 if you are an adult between ages 19 and 64 who has:
- A damaged spleen or no spleen
- Kidney disease called nephritic syndrome
- A weakened immune system due to medications such as chemotherapy drugs and long-term steroids
- Cancer, including leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma
- History of an organ or bone marrow transplant
- HIV/AIDS
- Sickle cell disease
Adults over age 65 who received PPSV23 before age 65 also need a booster shot if it has been more than five years since being vaccinated.
WebMD Medical Reference
Today in Vaccines
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
©2005-2012 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See additional information.