Pneumococcal Vaccine

About Pneumococcal Vaccine

The first pneumococcal vaccine, a 14 valent polysaccharide vaccine, was licensed in 1977. A 23 valent version followed in 1983. These vaccines were effective in adults but not in infants. The breakthrough was the conjugate vaccine. Prevnar, a 7 valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine PCV7, was licensed in 2000. PCV13 in 2010 and PCV15 and PCV20 followed. Pneumococcus causes pneumonia, meningitis, and sepsis. Before conjugate vaccines, pneumococcus caused hundreds of thousands of deaths each year in children under 5 globally. PCV has substantially reduced invasive pneumococcal disease in vaccinated children. The vaccine also provides herd protection, reducing disease in unvaccinated adults. The Gavi Alliance has supported pneumococcal vaccination in developing countries through the AMC Advance Market Commitment, which helped bring conjugate vaccines to many lower income countries.