Pneumococcal disease is caused by pneumococcal bacteria that spread through person-to-person contact. These bacteria can cause many types of illnesses, including pneumonia, ear infections, sinus infections, meningitis (infection of the tissues covering the brain and spinal cord), and bacteremia (bloodstream infection).
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Most infections are mild, but some can result in long-term damage such as brain damage and hearing loss. Some of these infections can also be fatal (pneumococcal meningitis leads to death in 1 in 10 children who contract it). Antibiotic treatments for the infection aren’t as effective due to antibiotic resistance, so prevention with vaccination is critical.
The World Health Organization estimates that 1.6 million people die of pneumococcal disease every year. Between 700,000 and 1 million of those are children under 5 years old. Studies show that at least 1 dose of this vaccine protects 80% of babies from serious infections. Rates of pneumococcal disease have declined by 99% in the US.. since the introduction of the vaccine. Experts estimate that PCV 13 prevented more than 30,000 cases of invasive disease and 3,000 deaths in its first 3 years.
PCV13 Vaccine Schedule
2 months 4 months 6 months 12-15 months
Potential Vaccine Reactions
Redness/pain at the injection site
Fever
Loss of appetite
Irritability
Brooke Kulasa, PA-C, has been a Kids Plus Provider since 2019.
