Pneumococcal vaccine for adults

Pneumococcal infection is invariably associated with pneumonia among ordinary people, since the names are very consonant. Yes, pneumococcus, entering the body, is capable of provoking an inflammatory process in the lungs, forming pneumonia, but its detrimental effect is not limited to this. Therefore, today there is a pneumococcal vaccine for adults, which can protect against severe illness in adults, especially those at risk.

In addition to pneumonia, the top three most common deaths from pneumococcal infection in adults include meningitis – inflammation in the membranes of the spinal cord, brain, and sepsis – the penetration of microbes into the bloodstream with their spread throughout the body with the formation of areas of inflammation. Treating pneumococcal infection is difficult, requiring high doses of antibiotics, hospital stay, and long recovery. Today, a pneumococcal vaccine for adults can prevent severe pneumococcal infections today. It is not recommended for free to everyone, but only to people from high-risk groups, although in paid vaccination centers you can get vaccinated at any age.

What is pneumococcus

Pneumococcus is a bacterium that has a round shape and gathers in groups. It mainly affects the upper respiratory tract, causing cold-like symptoms, but in some cases leads to bronchitis and pneumonia. If the body is weakened or the microbe is extremely aggressive, damage to the nervous system can occur – meningitis or complications in the form of sepsis.

Over the years of unjustified antibiotic therapy “for every sneeze”, pneumococci have developed multiple antibiotic resistance, which makes it difficult to quickly and adequately select therapy. Therefore, vaccination against pneumococcus significantly reduces the risk of infection and the development of severe forms of infection. To date, more than 60 different types of bacteria have been identified that are airborne, like SARS, and the incidence increases during the off-season and the cold season. Vaccines can protect against the most common strains of the pathogen.

In addition to developing the infection itself, vaccination can protect against serious complications of the disease in the form of:

• meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the spinal cord and brain;
• otitis – inflammatory processes in the middle ear cavity with accumulation of pus;
• endocarditis – damage to the inside of the heart;
• sinusitis – lesions of the paranasal sinuses with suppuration;
• arthritis – inflammation in the joint cavity;
• bronchitis – lesions of the bronchi of various diameters;
• sepsis;
• kidney lesions in the form of both pyelo- and glomerulonephritis.

Which adults should get the pneumococcal vaccine and when?

There are groups of patients who need a pneumococcal vaccine, but if there is a threat of an outbreak, it can be given to all people who are at risk of getting sick. Key indications for vaccination include:

• unfavorable epidemiological situation (disease outbreak in a certain region or community);
• frequent stay in areas where a high number of cases is recorded;
• work in biological laboratories;
• problems with the respiratory tract, frequent diseases, previously transferred pneumonia;
• people over 65 years of age with a chronic pathology;
• patients with a weakened immune system, prone to respiratory pathologies.

Important! The vaccine against pneumococcal infection is not included in the number of mandatory vaccinations, it is carried out as prescribed by a general practitioner or doctor of another specialty, or at the request of the patient for a fee.

What are the pneumococcal vaccines for adults?

When vaccinated, a patient can be protected from infection with several strains at once – there can be from 10 to 23 types of pathogens. Some vaccines are more suitable for children, while others are more recommended for adults.

Vaccination against pneumococcus for our country is a relatively new direction of immunization. Only a few years ago, our country began to vaccinate the population with these vaccines in accordance with international recommendations, joining the list of countries that carry out this type of vaccination.

There are vaccinations of both domestic and imported production.

• Prevenar-13 produced in the USA contains, respectively, the 13 most common strains of pneumococcus. It is he who is most often used for vaccination in clinics for patients at risk.
• Pneumo-23 production in France. The vaccine contains 23 common strains of pneumococcus, can be combined with the previous vaccine, it is revaccinated to reinforce and strengthen the immune system.
• Synflorix produced in Russia jointly with Belgium. The vaccine contains strains of the 10 most dangerous strains of pneumococcus for our country. It is supplemented with components against diphtheria and tetanus, as well as hemophilic infection.

Where can you get the pneumococcal vaccine for adults?

Vaccination according to indications for certain groups of the population can be done in a regular clinic at the place of residence, after checking with the doctor about the availability of the vaccine. You can also get vaccinated at immunization centers – for a fee or under a VHI policy, depending on the region and the characteristics of the clinic.

Reviews of doctors about the vaccination against pneumococcus for adults

Neurologist of the highest category Mosin Evgeny:

– Bacterial meningitis is a dangerous and unpredictable disease in its course. From it, the patient can “literally” burn out in a few days. The treatment is complicated, you need several antibiotics, which are selected according to sensitivity. Sometimes there is simply no time for tests, and the patient has serious neurological syndromes – convulsions, coma. Even if a person recovers, irreversible changes in the psyche, organic brain damage may remain, which threatens with disability.

If it is possible to prevent these complications and the severe course of the infection in advance, this should be done. The vaccine has been known for many years, our foreign colleagues use it with success, there are many publications about its safety and effectiveness, which leaves no doubt about the effect.

But, of course, you need to take into account all the indications and contraindications before using the vaccine, prescribe vaccination only for perfectly healthy people who do not have signs of SARS.

Popular questions and answers