In August 2014, the Advisory
Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted to recommend pneumococcal
conjugate vaccine (PCV13, Prevnar-13®) for all adults 65 years or older. This
dose is in addition to the existing recommendation of one dose of pneumococcal
polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23, Pneumovax®23).
- PCV13 was licensed by the FDA
(Food and Drug Administration) for use in adults 50 years or older in
2011.
- Both PCV13 and PPSV23 should be
routinely administered in series to all adults 65 years or older.
- The two pneumococcal vaccines
should not be administered at the same visit.
- PCV13 should be given before
PPSV23 because the optimal immune response is achieved when PCV13 is given
first followed by PPSV23 for patients who have NEVER received PPSV23.
Both PCV13 and PPSV23 provide
good protection against invasive forms of infection caused by vaccine-type
pneumococci.
For adults previously
vaccinated with PPSV23:
- Adults 65 years of age or older
who have previously received one or more doses of PPSV23 should
also receive a dose of PCV13 if they have not yet received it.
- A dose of PCV13 should be given
at least 1 year after the receipt of the most recent PPSV23 dose.
For those for whom an additional
dose of PPSV23 is indicated, this subsequent PPSV23 dose should be given 6 to
12 months after PCV13 and at least 5 years since the most recent dose of
PPSV23.
For pneumococcal vaccine-naïve adults:
- Adults 65 years
of age or older who have not previously received pneumococcal vaccine or
whose previous vaccination history is unknown should receive a dose of
PCV13 first, followed 6 to 12 months later by a dose of PPSV23.
- If PPSV23 cannot
be given during the 6 to 12 month time window, the dose of PPSV23 should
be given during the next visit after 12 months. PPSV23 should not be given
less than 8 weeks after the PCV13 dose.
Recommendations for
routine use of PCV13 in adults at increased risk for pneumococcal disease
remain unchanged:
- Adults 19 years
of age or older with immunocompromising conditions, functional or anatomic
asplenia, CSF leaks, or cochlear implants, and who have not previously
received PCV13 or PPSV23, should receive a dose of PCV13 first followed by
a dose of PPSV23 at least 8 weeks later.
- Adults at increased risk for
pneumococcal disease who received PCV13 at 64 years or younger should not
receive another dose of PCV13 at 65 years or older.
For more information visit http://www.cdc.gov/pneumococcal/clinicians/ or http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/wk/mm6337.pdf
If you have any questions, please
call the Maine Immunization Program at 287-3746 or 1- 800-867-4775
