Pneumococcal - Diseases and Vaccines

Immunisation
Pneumococcal

Bacteria
The infection is caused by bacteria and there are 90 different types of pneumococcal bacteria. Prevenar^®, the vaccine offered to infants, protects against the seven most common types. Serious infection is more common in infants and young children under the age of five years, in older people over 65 years, and children and adults of any age with certain ongoing medical conditions.

Vaccine
This disease is covered on the New Zealand Immunisation Schedule. The vaccine used is Prevenar^®.

How is it spread
The bacteria is carried in the throat, often without causing disease, and is spread through the air during coughing and sneezing.

The illness
The pneumococcal bacteria causes severe disease such as:

meningitis, an infection of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord
septicaemia or blood poisoning
infections of the joints, around the heart or of the bones and the soft tissue beneath the skin.

The bacteria also causes pneumonia, ear and sinus infections. Pneumococcal disease may be a complication from a viral infection.

Severe risks associated with pneumococcal disease

Each year in New Zealand more than 150 children under the age of five years are admitted to hospitals with pneumococcal disease.
About one in 10 children with pneumococcal meningitis die and one in six survivors will have permanent brain damage
About one in three children will be left with a hearing impairment after pneumococcal meningitis.
Pneumonia and septicaemia (blood poisoning) leads to hospitalisation.
Less severe illness, such as ear infections, may lead to deafness.
Children with medical conditions such as congenital heart disease, some chronic lung diseases, kidney diseases, HIV infection, and children whose immune system is lowered through chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or organ transplant are at higher risk of pneumococcal disease.
Children with spinal fluid shunts and with cochlear implants are also at higher risk of pneumococcal disease.

Severe risks associated with vaccine

Less than one in 1000 recipients of the vaccine may suffer from anaphylaxis or a hypersensitivity reaction

Questions and answers
View questions and answers on the Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine.

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Page last updated: 23 June 2008