Pneumococcal Disease

What are the risks of getting pneumococcal disease?

• Many children and adults carry the bacterium causing pneumococcal disease in their nose and throat secretions, and never get sick from it. However, in some people, the bacterium enters the body and causes serious infection.
• When the bacterium enters the body, it can cause serious infections like meningitis and pneumonia. It can also cause deafness and brain damage. The bacterium is becoming resistant to drugs used to treat it, so preventing it is more important than ever.
• Children under 2 years old and the elderly are at most risk for invasive pneumococcal disease.
• Children most at risk include those who have a weakened immune system or serious health concerns such as heart, lung or kidney problems, and those of Aboriginal descent.

Getting the pneumococcal vaccine is much safer than getting the disease.

How well does the vaccine work?

• Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine protects against common strains of the bacterium that cause pneumococcal disease.
• Invasive pneumococcal disease isn’t seen as often since Alberta starting giving the pneumococcal vaccine in 2012.

What is in the vaccine?

• There are no live bacteria in the vaccine. You can’t get the disease from the vaccine.

When is the vaccine given?

• Pneumococcal 13 conjugate vaccine is given at 2, 4 and 12 months old. Children with high-risk medical conditions may be given a fourth dose of vaccine.
• Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) is used for those 2 years old and over who have high risk medical conditions. It’s also routinely provided to adults 65 years old and over.

What are the risks with immunization?

Side effects are usually mild and don’t last long. Some babies may:

• have pain, redness or swelling where the needle was given
• have a mild fever
• be a little fussy or irritable
• have a change in appetite
• be a little sleepy

As with any vaccine, unexpected or unusual reactions can happen. Severe allergic reactions are very rare (1-3 times per 1 million doses of vaccine).