What Is the Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Used For?

The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine helps prevent invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), a group of infections caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. IPD diseases include bacterial meningitis, bacteremia, and pneumonia. The vaccine also helps prevent certain types of ear infections. Although there are approved uses for the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in older children, the product is primarily given to children during infancy and toddlerhood.

Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Information

What Is the Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Used For?

The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (Prevnar^®) is a routine childhood vaccine used to prevent pneumococcal disease, including serious pneumococcal diseases, as well as ear infections. Ideally, it is used in infants and toddlers, although it can also be used in older children who did not receive the vaccine earlier.

In particular, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends routine vaccination with pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for children under the age of two. The CDC also recommends the vaccine for children two to five years old (who have not already received the vaccine) who:

Have sickle cell disease
Have a damaged spleen (or no spleen)
Have HIV or AIDS
Have other diseases that affect the immune system, such as diabetes, liver disease, or cancer
Take immunosuppressant medications, such as steroids or chemotherapy
Have chronic lung disease or heart disease.

Using the Vaccine to Prevent IPD

Most importantly, the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine helps to prevent invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), a group of serious infections caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. IPD diseases include:

Bacterial meningitis (S. pneumoniae is the leading cause of bacterial meningitis in the United States)
Bacteremia (a bloodstream infection)
Pneumonia.

IPD causes about 200 deaths per year among children under the age of five in the United States.

(What Is the Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Used For? Continued: Page 2)