Pneumococcal Vaccination Starts at 50: CDC Recommends PCV15, PCV20 or PCV21 for Adults Who Have Never Had a Conjugate Vaccine
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now sets the age for pneumococcal vaccination at 50: every adult age 50 or older who has never received a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, or whose vaccination history is unknown, should receive one, choosing among PCV15, PCV20 and PCV21. Pneumococcal bacteria can cause pneumonia, bloodstream infections and meningitis, and the risk rises with age, which is why the recommendation is tied to a birthday rather than to illness.
The three vaccines do not finish the job the same way. With PCV15, a dose of the polysaccharide vaccine PPSV23 follows one year later, and only one PPSV23 dose is indicated; for adults with an immunocompromising condition, a cochlear implant or a cerebrospinal fluid leak, the minimum interval can be shortened to 8 weeks. With PCV20 or PCV21, no PPSV23 dose is indicated and the patient's pneumococcal vaccination is complete after that single shot.
People vaccinated under the older schedule have their own option. Adults 65 or older who previously received PCV13, but not PCV15, PCV20 or PCV21, and who received PPSV23 at or after age 65, can decide together with their provider, under shared clinical decision-making, whether to add PCV20 or PCV21 or to get no additional pneumococcal vaccines. For anyone unsure of their history, CDC offers PneumoRecs VaxAdvisor as a free app for iOS and Android, with a web version, that turns an age and vaccination history into patient-specific guidance.
CDC also recommends pneumococcal vaccination for children younger than 5 years, and for children and adults at increased risk, including some adults ages 19 through 49 with certain conditions, who should ask their own provider. With respiratory season under way, adults over 50 who are getting a flu shot can use the same visit to check whether their pneumococcal vaccination is complete. (Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: Wikimedia Commons 摄影，公共领域：医护人员为成人接种疫苗（美国国家癌症研究所档案照片）
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