PNEUMOCOCCAL VACCINE

Course overview

THE ADVENT OF PNEUMOCOCCAL VACCINES HAS PROVEN TO BE A SIGNIFICANT ADVANCEMENT IN THE TREATMENT AND PREVENTION OF A WIDESPREAD AND SOMETIMES DEADLY DISEASE PROCESS. PNEUMOCOCCAL CONJUGATE VACCINE (PCV13) IS RECOMMENDED DIFFERENTLY DEPENDING ON THE PATIENT POPULATION. WHILE BOTH VACCINE TYPES ARE PROVEN TO STIMULATE LONG-LASTING ANTIBODIES IN IMMUNOCOMPROMISED ADULTS, CONJUGATE VACCINES HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL BENEFITS. BENEFITS OF POLYSACCHARIDE CONJUGATE VACCINE OVER TRADITIONAL POLYSACCHARIDE VACCINE INCLUDE THAT CONJUGATE VACCINES STIMULATE THE PRODUCTION OF THESE ANTIBODIES IN INFANTS AND TODDLERS, AS OPPOSED TO ONLY HEALTHY ADULTS, AS SEEN WITH POLYSACCHARIDE VACCINES. CONJUGATE VACCINES HAVE ALSO BEEN FOUND TO STIMULATE MUCOSAL IMMUNITY, WHICH DECREASES COLONIZATION, AS WELL AS HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO PROVIDE HERD IMMUNITY AND PRIME THE PATIENT IMMUNOLOGICALLY, FOR AN ENHANCED HOST RESPONSE, UNLIKE TRADITIONALLY POLYSACCHARIDE VACCINES. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE MODE OF ACTION OF PNEUMOCOCCAL VACCINES, INCLUDING MODES OF ADMINISTRATION, FORMULATIONS, ADVERSE EVENT PROFILES, ELIGIBLE PATIENT POPULATIONS, MONITORING, AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THESE PATIENTS.