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What Is the Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine For?

Pneumococcal diseases are caused by bacteria, called streptococcus pneumoniae, that attack various areas in the body, and, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are the leading cause of illness and death that could be prevented by the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine.

  1. Diseases

    • The pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine can prevent pneumococcal diseases, such as pneumonia and bacteremia, and protect the covering of the brain from the infection meningitis. Pneumococcal bacteria is also thought to be responsible for otitis media (middle ear infection) and sinusitis.

    Vaccine

    • Pneumococcal diseases are traditionally treated with penicillin, but as use of this drug became widespread, certain types of pneumococcal diseases became resistant to penicillin. Consequently, the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine was developed.

    Disease Risk

    • According to the CDC, meningitis is responsible for the deaths of three in 10 who contract it, one in five who contract bacteremia, and one in 20 with pneumonia. The CDC also reports that pneumococcal disease is responsible for 6,000 deaths in the U.S. every year.

    People at Risk

    • Although pneumococcal bacteria can affect anybody, certain groups are more at risk and should be vaccinated with pneumococcal polysaccharide, including those who are 65 or older, young infants and children, and people with pre-existing health problems and a weakened immune system.

    Types

    • According to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID), there are 90 known types of pneumococcal diseases, and the 10 most common forms are responsible for 62 percent of invasive diseases around the world.

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