What is Pneumococcal disease? Is there a vaccine? If so, what are the side effects? Your FAQs answered

New Delhi, Apr 06: Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) is a pneumococcal vaccine and a conjugate vaccine used to protect infants, young children, and adults against disease caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus).

It contains purified capsular polysaccharide of pneumococcal serotypes conjugated to a carrier protein to improve antibody response compared to the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the use of the conjugate vaccine in routine immunizations given to children.

There are three types of PCV available, with the brand names Prevnar 13, Synflorix, and Pneumosil, which was prequalified by the WHO in 2020.

What are the side effects?

The most common side effects in children are decreased appetite, fever (only very common in children aged six weeks to five years), irritability, reactions at the site of injection (reddening or hardening of the skin, swelling, pain or tenderness), somnolence (sleepiness) and poor quality sleep.

In adults and the elderly, the most common side effects are decreased appetite, headaches, diarrhea, fever (only very common in adults aged 18 to 29 years), vomiting (only very common in adults aged 18 to 49 years), rash, reactions at the site of injection, limitation of arm movement, arthralgia and myalgia (joint and muscle pain), chills and fatigue.

What is pneumococcal disease?

Pneumococcal disease refers to any illness caused by pneumococcal bacteria. These bacteria can cause many types of illnesses, including pneumonia, which is an infection of the lungs. Pneumococcal bacteria are one of the most common causes of pneumonia.

How serious is pneumococcal disease?

Invasive pneumococcal disease is a life-threatening condition that is fatal in 10 percent of cases. Older people and those with underlying medical conditions have a higher risk than others of serious complications.

How does it spread?

Bacteria can spread through droplets in the air, for example, when a person with the infection coughs or sneezes. The bacteria do not spread through contaminated food or water.

Most people who become exposed to the bacteria have no symptoms because their immune system stops the germs from moving to another part of the body.

However, if a person has a weak immune system, the bacteria can move from the throat to the lungs, blood, sinuses, middle ear, or the brain. This can lead to a potentially severe infection.

Some signs and symptoms of pneumonia include:

• shortness of breath
• difficulty breathing
• confusion
• weakness
• fever
• chest pain
• low blood oxygen levels