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Pneumonia (Pneumococcal) Vaccine

This page was reviewed or revised on Thursday, September 22, 2011 1:49 PM

Environmental Health and Prevention Services

What is pneumococcal disease?

• A bacterial infection that can cause pneumonia or meningitis in susceptible individuals
• Approximately 8 out of 10 cases of bacterial pneumonia are caused by pneumococcal infection
• Pneumococcal pneumonia frequently follows influenza or other viral respiratory infections, especially in the elderly and the medically at risk
• Pneumococcal Vaccine protects against 23 types of bacteria that can cause Pneumococcal pneumonia or meningitis

Who should receive pneumococcal vaccine?

Anyone over 65 years of age OR children (over 2 years of age) and adults with the following medical conditions:

• Chronic heart, lung or kidney disease
• Nephrotic syndrome
• Cirrhosis of the liver
• Alcoholism
• Diabetes mellitus
• Chronic cerebrospinal fluid leak
• Persons whose immune systems are damaged or suppressed, such as those with HIV or AIDS, those having splenectomy, or malfunctioning spleens, or those receiving chemotherapy
• Sickle cell disease

When should pneumococcal vaccine be given?

Pneumococcal vaccine may be given at the same time as you receive your annual flu shot, in the opposite arm.

For most people, no booster dose is needed. One shot is good for a lifetime.

A single booster dose in 5 years may be advised for some persons with specific medical conditions:

• Functional or anatomical asplenia
• Sickle cell disease
• Hepatic cirrhosis
• Chronic renal failure
• Nephritic syndrome
• Renal failure (or renal transplant)
• Leukemia
• Lymphoma
• Hodgkin’s disease
• Multiple myeloma
• Generalized malignancy
• HIV infection
• Immuno-suppression related to disease or therapy (organ or bone marrow transplantation, chemotherapy, radiation, long-term systemic corticosteroids)

What are the common side effects to this vaccine?

• Some redness, swelling or soreness in the arm where the needle was given
• Slight fever

Who should NOT receive this vaccine?

• Persons ill with a fever or infection worse than a cold should usually wait until they recover
• Persons with a severe allergy to any component in the vaccine: 0.25% phenol (preservative)

Severe reactions are rare. However, you should wait 15 minutes after your injection before leaving.

Report any severe reaction to your health care provider or to Community Health Services Department.

Always ensure the doctor or nurse updates your yellow Immunization Record card and keep it in a safe place. Call the Community Health Services Department at 519-383-8331 to update your (and your family's) immunization record when you have a vaccine at your doctor's or elsewhere.