Vaccine against Streptococcus pneumoniae disease

The pneumococcal vaccine protects against serious and potentially fatal pneumococcal infections. It's also known as the pneumonia vaccine. Pneumococcal infections are caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae and can lead to pneumonia, blood poisoning (sepsis) and meningitis.

About the vaccine

  • The vaccine contains polysaccharides of serotypes: 1, 4, 5, 6B, 7F, 9V, 14, 18C, 19F, 23F (in 13 valence more: 3, 6A and 19A), protein carriers and aluminium phosphate as an  adjuvant (enhancer of immune response).The vaccine does not contain any  live infectious materials.
  •  In children under the age of two, only conjugate vaccines containing 10 or 13 serotypes of the bacterium are effective and used to protect against invasive diseases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus). These are vaccines in which the bacterial polysaccharide antigen is bound to an immunogenic protein (from the structure of, tetanus, diphtheria, or Hemophilus influenza), which enhances the immune response and stimulates immune memory.
  • According to the current immunization schedule, your child will receive three doses of this vaccine in the first 6 months of life, and another dose after the age of 12-18 months.
  • If your child is at particular risk of pneumococcal disease (chronic diseases of the lungs, heart and blood vessels, kidneys, liver, dysfunctional spleen, tissue and organ transplantation, malignancies, implantation cochlear implant, etc.), he/she may need additional dose of conjugate vaccine, and also vaccination with  the polysaccharide vaccine Pneumo 23 (containing  polysaccharides from 23 serotypes of the bacteria after the age of  2 years).
  • The vaccine is given by injection into the thigh muscle in infants and in the upper arm to older children (older than 3 years).
  • It can be given at the same time as other vaccines (diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, hepatitis B, MMR vaccine, etc.) but given into another part on the body.
  • The vaccine is not given to children who have had an anaphylactic (allergic) reaction to the active substance of the vaccine or to any of the excipients in the vaccine.
  • If your child has an acute infection accompanied by a high temperature, the vaccination should be postponed until recovery.
  • Possible rare mild reactions from vaccines (pain, a rash, swelling; moderate erythema and induration or fever) are normal and will go soon away. If you see something that concerns you, call your doctor.