Pneumococcal Vaccination: What Everyone Should Know
Pneumococcal disease is common in young children, but older adults are at greatest risk of serious illness and death. There are two kinds of vaccines that help prevent pneumococcal disease.
Who Should Get Pneumococcal Vaccines?
CDC recommends pneumococcal vaccination for all children younger than 2 years old and all adults 65 years or older. In certain situations, other children and adults should also get pneumococcal vaccines. Below is more information about who should and should not get each type of pneumococcal vaccine.
Talk to your or your child’s healthcare professional about what is best for your specific situation.
Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine
CDC recommends vaccination with the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13 or Prevnar 13®) for:
All children younger than 2 years old
All adults 65 years or older
People 2 through 64 years old with certain medical conditions
Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine
CDC recommends vaccination with the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23 or Pneumovax23®) for:
All adults 65 years or older
People 2 through 64 years old with certain medical conditions
Adults 19 through 64 years old who smoke cigarettes
Who Should Not Get These Vaccines?
Because of age or health conditions, some people should not get certain vaccines or should wait before getting them. Read the guidelines below and ask your or your child’s healthcare professional for more information.
Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine
Tell the person who is giving you or your child a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine if:
You or your child have had a life-threatening allergic reaction or have a severe allergy.
Anyone who has had a life-threatening allergic reaction to any of the following should not get PCV13:
A dose of this vaccine
An earlier pneumococcal conjugate vaccine called PCV7 (or Prevnar®)
Any vaccine containing diphtheria toxoid (for example, DTaP)
Anyone with a severe allergy to any component of PCV13 should not get the vaccine. Your or your child’s healthcare professional can tell you about the vaccine’s components.
You or your child are not feeling well.
People who have a mild illness, such as a cold, can probably get the vaccine. People who have a more serious illness should probably wait until they recover. Your or your child’s healthcare professional can advise you.
Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine
Children younger than 2 years old should not get this vaccine. In addition, tell the person who is giving you or your child a pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine if:
You or your child have had a life-threatening allergic reaction or have a severe allergy.
Anyone who has had a life-threatening allergic reaction to PPSV23 should not get another dose.
Anyone who has a severe allergy to any component of PPSV23 should not get it. Your or your child’s healthcare professional can tell you about the vaccine’s components.
You or your child are not feeling well.
People who have a mild illness, such as a cold, can probably get the vaccine. People who have a more serious illness should probably wait until they recover. Your or your child’s healthcare professional can advise you.
You are pregnant.
There is no evidence that PPSV23 is harmful either to a pregnant woman or to her baby. However, as a precaution, women who need the vaccine should get it before becoming pregnant, if possible.
How Well Do These Vaccines Work?
Some pneumococcal infections are “invasive.” Invasive disease means that germs invade parts of the body that are normally free from germs. Invasive disease is usually very serious and can sometimes result in death.
Vaccines that help protect against pneumococcal disease work well, but cannot prevent all cases.
Studies* show that at least 1 dose of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine protects
At least 8 in 10 babies from serious infections called invasive pneumococcal disease
75 in 100 adults 65 years or older against invasive pneumococcal disease
45 in 100 adults 65 years or older against pneumococcal pneumonia
Studies* show that 1 dose of pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine protects
Between 50 to 85 in 100 healthy adults against invasive pneumococcal disease
* Studies looked at protection against infections caused by the serotypes covered by the specific vaccine used
What Are the Possible Side Effects?
Most people who get a pneumococcal vaccine do not have any serious problems with it. With any medicine, including vaccines, there is a chance of side effects. These are usually mild and go away on their own within a few days, but serious reactions are possible.
Mild Problems
Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine
Mild problems following pneumococcal conjugate vaccination can include:
Reactions where the shot was given
Redness
Swelling
Pain or tenderness
Fever
Loss of appetite
Fussiness (irritability)
Feeling tired
Headache
Chills
Young children who get pneumococcal conjugate vaccine at the same time as inactivated flu vaccine may be at increased risk for seizures caused by fever. Ask your doctor for more information.
Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine
Mild problems following pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccination can include:
Reactions where the shot was given
Redness
Pain
Fever
Muscle aches
If these problems occur, they usually go away within about two days.
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/pneumo/public/index.html
Bonten MJ, Huijts SM, Bolkenbaas M, et al. Polysaccharide conjugate vaccine against pneumococcal pneumonia in adults. N Engl J Med. 2015;372(12):1114–25.
Moore MR, Link-Gelles R, Schaffner W, et al. Effectiveness of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for prevention of invasive pneumococcal disease in children in the USA: A matched case-control study. Lancet Respir Med. 2016;4(5):399–406.
Pilishvili T, Bennett NM. Pneumococcal disease prevention among adults: Strategies for the use of pneumococcal vaccines. Vaccine. 2015;33(4):D60–5.