
Pneumonia is a lung infection that can cause mild to severe illness in people of all ages. It is caused by bacteria that commonly live in the nose and throat. In the United States, there are two types of pneumococcal vaccines available: pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) and pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccines (PPSV). PCVs include PCV13, PCV15, PCV20, and PCV21, which protect against 13, 15, 20, and 21 different types of pneumococcal bacteria, respectively. PPSV is PPSV23, which protects against 23 different types of pneumococcal bacteria. These vaccines are recommended for infants, older adults, and those with certain risk factors or medical conditions.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Pneumococcal vaccine, Pneumonia vaccine |
| Types | Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs), Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) |
| Recommended for | People over 50, children under 5, people with weakened immune systems, older adults, high-risk people |
| Protection | Protects against pneumococcal bacteria, pneumococcal disease, pneumococcal pneumonia, pneumococcal infections, Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria, pneumococcus |
| Number of shots | 1-2 shots, 4 doses for infants |
| Side effects | Mild, rare, temporary pause in breathing for premature infants, irritability, pain at the injection site, drowsiness, decreased appetite, injection site redness, injection site swelling, fever, muscle pain, headache, fatigue |
| Availability | Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, doctor's office, pharmacy, local health department, community health clinic, Advocate Health Care |
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What You'll Learn

Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs)
Pneumococcal disease is caused by bacteria that commonly live in the nose and throat and can cause both mild and serious infections. Pneumonia is one such serious infection, and it can cause symptoms like coughing, fever, and difficulty breathing. Older adults with pneumonia may also experience confusion or have low alertness.
PCV20, also known as PREVNAR 20® (Pneumococcal 20-Valent Conjugate Vaccine), helps protect eligible adults and babies against 20 different strains of the bacteria that cause pneumococcal pneumonia and invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). It is approved for the prevention of pneumonia caused by S. pneumoniae serotypes 8, 10A, 11A, 12F, 15B, 22F, and 33F in individuals 18 years of age and older. In individuals 2, 4, 6, and 12 through 15 months of age vaccinated with a 4-dose schedule, the most common side effects reported at a rate of >10% were irritability, pain at the injection site, drowsiness, decreased appetite, injection site redness, injection site swelling, and fever. In individuals 18 years and older, the most common side effects reported at a rate of >10% were pain at the injection site, muscle pain, and fatigue.
The CDC recommends pneumococcal vaccination for people based on their age or if they have certain risk conditions. Vaccines are available at doctors' offices or pharmacies and are usually covered by insurance.
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Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23)
Pneumococcal disease is caused by bacteria that can lead to mild infections, such as ear and sinus infections, and more serious infections, including pneumonia, meningitis, bacteremia, and sepsis. Pneumococcal vaccines are the best way to protect against serious pneumococcal infections.
The Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine (PPSV23) is one such vaccine. PPSV23 helps protect against 23 types of bacteria that cause pneumococcal disease. It contains purified preparations of pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide and 25 µg of each antigen per dose. It is recommended for some children and adolescents with certain medical conditions or risk factors, and for adults following a dose of the 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV15).
PPSV23 is widely used in high-risk adults and is approved for use in people 50 years of age or older, as well as those aged two years or older who are at increased risk of pneumococcal disease. The vaccine is given by intramuscular or subcutaneous injection.
The most common adverse reactions to PPSV23 include pain, soreness, or tenderness at the site of injection, injection-site swelling, redness, weakness, fatigue, headache, and muscle pain. These side effects are usually mild and go away within a few days. However, as with any medicine, there is a very remote chance of a severe allergic reaction or other serious injury.
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Prevnar 20 (PCV20)
The vaccine is recommended for adults aged 65 and older who have never received a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. It can also be given to children under 2 years old as part of a routine vaccination series. Prevnar 20 is one of four pneumococcal vaccines available in the United States.
Prevnar 20 has been shown to be well-tolerated in individuals of all ages. The most common side effects reported in infants and young children (2 months to 15 months) vaccinated with a 4-dose schedule were irritability, pain at the injection site, drowsiness, decreased appetite, injection site redness, injection site swelling, and fever. In individuals 15 months through 17 years of age vaccinated with a single dose, the most common side effects were similar, with the addition of headache and fatigue. In individuals 18 years and older, the most common side effects were pain at the injection site, muscle pain, fatigue, headache, and joint pain.
It is important to note that Prevnar 20 should not be given to anyone who has had a severe allergic reaction to any component of the vaccine or to diphtheria toxoid. Individuals with weakened immune systems may have a lower immune response to the vaccine.
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PCV13
Pneumococcal disease is caused by bacteria that commonly live in the nose and throat and can cause mild infections such as ear infections, as well as more serious infections such as pneumonia, meningitis, bacteremia, and sepsis. Pneumonia is a lung infection that can be fatal. Pneumococcal disease is common in young children, but older adults are at the greatest risk of serious illness and death.
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) are differentiated by the number of serotypes they protect against. PCV13 is a 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine that was licensed by the FDA in 2010. It was introduced as a replacement for PCV7, which was found to reduce invasive disease caused by vaccine serotypes by 97%. PCV13 has been shown to induce antibody levels comparable to PCV7 and is protective against invasive disease. It contains antigens from 13 serotypes, 12 of which are common to PPSV23.
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PCV15
Pneumococcal disease is caused by bacteria that commonly live in the nose and throat and can cause mild infections such as ear infections and sinus infections. However, these bacteria can also lead to more serious infections like pneumonia, meningitis, bacteremia, and sepsis.
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) are differentiated by the number of serotypes they protect against. PCV15 (Vaxneuvance®) is a sterile suspension of purified capsular polysaccharides from 15 serotypes of S. pneumoniae (1, 3, 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 7F, 9V, 14, 18C, 19A, 19F, 22F, 23F, and 33F) individually conjugated to a nontoxic variant of diphtheria toxin known as CRM197. A 0.5 mL dose of PCV15 contains 2.0 µg of polysaccharide from each of 14 serotypes and 4.0 µg of polysaccharide from serotype 6B, 30 µg of CRM197 carrier protein, 1.55 mg L-histidine, 1 mg of polysorbate 20, 4.50 mg sodium chloride, and 125 µg of aluminum as aluminum phosphate adjuvant.
Side effects from pneumococcal vaccines are usually mild and go away within a few days. In adults, side effects of the PCV15 vaccine may include pain, swelling, or redness at the injection site. Young children who receive PCV15 at the same time as the flu shot may be at increased risk for seizures caused by fever.
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Frequently asked questions
Pneumonia is caused by a type of bacteria called pneumococcal bacteria.
There are several types of pneumonia vaccines available in the USA, including PCV13, PCV15, PCV20, PCV21, and PPSV23.
The CDC recommends that adults over 50 and adults aged 19-49 with certain conditions or risk factors receive the pneumonia vaccine. The vaccine is also recommended for infants, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems.
The pneumonia vaccine helps protect against pneumococcal bacteria, which can cause infections like pneumonia and meningitis. The vaccine stimulates the body to produce antibodies that fight off the bacteria.
Most people who get the pneumonia vaccine do not experience any serious side effects. However, mild side effects such as pain, redness, or swelling at the injection site may occur. Serious reactions are rare but possible.





































