This study suggests that a single administration of pneumovax early in RA offers up to 10 years protection against the development of pneumococcal pneumonia in RA patients on methotrexate.

We recently demonstrated that oral immunization with a polyvalent bacterial lysate (Paspat oral®) significantly reduces mortality rates in mice, infected with Streptococcus pneumoniae or influenza A virus. In this study it is demonstrated that oral immunization with the same bacterial lysate reduces the intrapulmonary inflammatory reaction to infection with S. pneumoniae, assessed by measurement of PMN elastase in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that oral immunization with Paspat oral® increases intrapulmonary IFN-gamma concentrations.