Invasive pneumococcal surveillance to assess the potential benefits of extended spectrum conjugate vaccines (PCV15/PCV20) in older adults

Abstract

The introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV) into the childhood vaccination programme has reduced invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). Although anticipated from data elsewhere, surveillance in Ireland has confirmed reductions in IPD amongst those ≥65 years of age due to a decline of PCV serotypes in this age group. Currently, direct protection against IPD in the elderly is focused on immunisation with the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23). However, immunity may not be as effective as with PCV and, furthermore, PPV23 uptake is poor in Ireland. Hence, consideration should be given to providing a PCV to this age group.Word count= 98 (limit, 100) Short Bullet Points• Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV) have significantly reduced the impact of invasive pneumococcal disease amongst children.• While there has also been a fall in IPD in those ≥65 years of age, PCV were not targeted at this age group.• Current polysaccharide vaccines used amongst the population ≥65 years of age do not induce equivalent immunity to PCV.• A combination of the current polysaccharide vaccine with PCV15/PCV20 in this age group should be considered to provide better protection against IPD.

Clinical features relating to pneumococcal colony phase variation in hospitalized adults with pneumonia

“… Streptococcus pneumoniae remains the leading cause of invasive infections and pneumonia in older adults despite the introduction of vaccination [1, 2]. In Japan, a seven-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) was introduced in 2010 as routine immunization for children and replaced by PCV13 in 2013.…”