{"id":242411,"date":"2025-06-18T13:25:48","date_gmt":"2025-06-18T13:25:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pharmeasy.in\/blog\/?p=242411"},"modified":"2026-03-24T12:52:55","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T12:52:55","slug":"vaccine-pneumococcal-vaccine-types-side-effects-and-who-needs-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pharmeasy.in\/blog\/vaccine-pneumococcal-vaccine-types-side-effects-and-who-needs-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Pneumococcal Vaccine: Types, Side Effects, and Who Needs It"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n<\/head>

Table of Contents<\/p>\nToggle<\/span>

Introduction<\/a><\/li>
What Is Pneumococcal Vaccine?<\/a><\/li>
How Do Pneumococcal Vaccines Work?<\/a><\/li>
Types of Pneumococcal Vaccines<\/a><\/li>
How Effective are Pneumococcal Vaccines<\/a><\/li>
Who Should Get the Pneumococcal Vaccine?<\/a><\/li>
Who Shouldn\u2019t Get the Pneumococcal Vaccine?<\/a><\/li>
Side Effects of Pneumococcal Vaccines<\/a><\/li>
When to See a Doctor<\/a><\/li>
Conclusion<\/a><\/li>
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)<\/a><\/li>
References<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n \n <\/span>\n $\"Join$ \n <\/a>\n
<\/span>Introduction<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nPneumonia is a broad term that refers to lung infections caused by various organisms, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi ^{1<\/sup><\/a>. Normally, the lungs contain tiny air sacs called alveoli that fill with air during breathing. In pneumonia, these alveoli become inflamed and filled with pus and fluid. This makes breathing difficult and reduces oxygen intake}^{2<\/sup><\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n}
The infection typically spreads when a person breathes in respiratory droplets or accidentally inhales secretions from the mouth or throat (when an infected person coughs or sneezes)^{2<\/sup><\/a>. Pneumonia can range from mild to life-threatening, with the highest risk seen in infants, older adults, individuals with weakened immune systems, patients with chronic illness (such as diabetes), smokers, and patients on ventilators}^{1<\/sup><\/a>^,<\/sup>}^{3<\/sup><\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n}
Fortunately, pneumonia (when caused by bacteria) can be prevented with vaccines. In this article, we will explore what pneumococcal vaccines are, how they work, and who should receive them.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>What Is Pneumococcal Vaccine?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nAs mentioned, pneumonia is a respiratory infection caused by bacteria, fungi or viruses. More commonly, it occurs due to infection with the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae<\/em> (also known as pneumococcus). Infection with this organism can lead to serious illnesses such as pneumonia, sinusitis, ear infections (otitis media), and meningitis. These infections remain a significant cause of illness and death, even in high-income countries^{4<\/sup><\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n}
More than 90 distinct pneumococcal serotypes have been identified, and while many are capable of causing illness, only a subset is responsible for the majority of severe and invasive pneumococcal diseases ^{5<\/sup><\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n}
Pneumococcal vaccines help prevent these infections in the body by developing immunity against them. These vaccines contain parts of the bacteria (specifically capsular polysaccharides) either alone or linked to a carrier protein, which trigger the immune cells to produce antibodies that fight against specific pneumococci strains. Let us discuss about this in detail in the next section.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>How Do Pneumococcal Vaccines Work?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nPneumonia or Pneumococcal vaccines<\/strong><\/a> help the body develop active immunity by training the immune system to recognise and combat certain serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae<\/em> bacteria. There are two types of pneumococcal vaccines currently in use, which include:\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Conjugated vaccines (PCV): <\/strong>These use a carrier protein to attach to the bacterial capsular polysaccharides and enable the body to produce both B-cell and T-cell immune responses. This results in longer-lasting immunity.^{<\/sup>PCV can help reduce bacteria in the nose and throat (nasopharyngeal carriage), which lowers the risk of spreading the infection (polysaccharide vaccines (PPSV) does not have this effect)}^{6<\/sup><\/a>^,<\/sup>}^{7<\/sup><\/a>.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n}
Unconjugated or Polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV): <\/strong>This consists of the polysaccharide alone and produces a weaker and shorter-lasting immune response than PCVs because it triggers B-cell responses without the help of T-cells, which means it doesn\u2019t create long-term immune memory. As a result, PCVs provide stronger and more lasting protection. However, PPSV covers more serotypes than PC vaccines^{6<\/sup><\/a>.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>}
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