Pneumococcal Vaccine Aids Young and Elderly Alike

Hospitalizations for to pneumococcal disease have been reduced since the introduction of the 7-valent vaccine (PCV7). The PCV7 vaccine has no only helped children, but the elderly as well. Contemporary Pediatrics reports:

In the 10 years following the introduction of 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7), hospitalizations for pneumococcal disease have been and remain drastically reduced, not just for children but also for adults and particularly for the elderly, according to a new report.

Using a nationwide inpatient sample database, researchers from Vanderbilt University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) looked at rates of pneumonia-related hospitalizations during the periods 1997 to 1999, before the introduction of the vaccine, and 2007 to 2009, well after the introduction of PCV7 in 2000, but before the switch to 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) in 2010.

Overall, in all age groups, the investigators calculated a 10.5% reduction in hospitalizations for pneumonia.

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