Origin and risk

Pneumonia is caused by a bacterium called pneumococcus, which also causes other types of pathologies such as meningitis, sepsis..., and which is found in the nose and throat of men.

People with a higher risk of suffering from a serious infection are children under 6 to 24 months of age, those who attend nursery school and/or belong to certain risk groups such as: neophrotic syndrome, spleen problems, cystic fibrosis, pulmonary bronchodysplasia, heart disease, congenital or acquired immunodeficiency, immunosuppression... among others.

types of vaccines

There are currently two types of vaccine, polysaccharide and conjugate.

The 23-valent polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccine protects against 23 serotypes of pneumococcus (including 90% of those that cause serious infections). In most adults, after 2 or 3 weeks of its administration, it is effective, but not in children under 2 years of age. There are also very old people or long-term chronically ill people who may not respond adequately to the vaccine, despite its prescription. Its effect lasts about 5 years in healthy adults.

There are currently two conjugate vaccines. Both are very useful for the prevention of pneumococcal disease by achieving a good and long-lasting immune response. It can be used in children under 5 years of age.
Who should be vaccinated:
• All adults over 65 years of age (polysaccharide vaccine)

• Children residing in communities where the conjugate vaccine has been included in their childhood vaccination schedules up to 5 years of age, being the case of Madrid and Galicia.

• In people over 50 years of age who are immunocompromised, with an absent or nonfunctional spleen, loss of cerebrospinal fluid, or with cochlear implants, it is advisable that they receive the conjugate vaccine followed by the polysaccharide vaccine after about 8 weeks.

• All people over 6 weeks of age with chronic diseases, immunocompromised or with treatments that lower defenses. In patients under 5 years of age, the conjugate vaccine will be used together with the polysaccharide vaccine, once they are 2 years old, as a booster. From the age of 5, polysaccharides will be administered.

Vaccine Administration

The polysaccharide vaccine is administered in a single dose, with a second dose being indicated in people over 65 years of age who received the first before they were 65, waiting 5 years between the two doses. Also in the case of people without or with a damaged spleen, sickle cell disease, HIV infection, cancer, severe kidney disease, transplant recipients or taking drugs that reduce immunity. In children under 10 years of age, the second dose can be 3 years after the first, while in people over that age the minimum separation must be 5 years between the two.

In the case of the vaccine in children, it is administered in 4 doses: three of them in the first year of life (2, 4 and 6 months) and others between 12 and 15 months. If the vaccine is included in the vaccination schedule, the 6-month dose is suppressed.

Vaccines are not indicated in pregnant women (under study). The second dose may not be given to those who after the first have suffered a strong allergic reaction or are allergic to any of their components.
In the case of children who present a moderate or serious disease at the time of vaccination, they should wait for their recovery.