Pneumococcal vaccine

Despite good access to antibiotics, Streptococcus pneumoniae is still a significant cause of illness and death worldwide.

It is one of the main causes of exacerbations of COPD.
It is the bacteria which most frequently causes community- acquired pneumonia.
Children are the main carriers (present in about 60% of children)
S. pneumoniae can also cause blood infection (septicaemia) and infection in the lining of the brain and spinal cord (meningitis).

The presence of chronic respiratory illness is a major risk factor for contracting pneumonia.

Smoking (the most common cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is also an important risk factor for pneumonia.

Pneumococcal vaccine prevents pneumococcal disease in older people and in other high-risk groups.

The 23 pneumococcal types in the vaccine include those that cause almost all (about 9 out of 10) infections caused by pneumococci.
It is an inactive vaccine and doesn’t contain live organisms, so won’t cause disease.
It is considered 50-70% effective.
This is generally a once in a lifetime injection but occassionally some patients require a booster every 5 years.

Pneumococcal infections can occur at any age but are more likely in:

Frail elderly people.
People who have lost their spleen or whose spleen is not working.
People who have low resistance to infections due to longstanding illnesses or infections (such as heart disease, lung disease, diabetes mellitus, kidney disease, liver disease or HIV infection).
People who have low resistance to infections due to treatment that they have had for some illnesses (such as cancer).
People aged 65 and over.
People under 65 and with a long term chronic health condition.