Pneumococcal conjugate vaccination (PCV) is administered as a course of three injections to infants as part of the routine immunisation programme, protecting against S. pneumoniae.20

For people aged 65 and over, the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV) is offered as a single injection. Most adults will have had some previous exposure to S. pneumoniae, so normally develop a good immune response within three weeks of immunisation.20,21

PPV is also given to those aged 2 and above who are at higher risk of pneumococcal infections. NICE sets out the list of risk factors for pneumococcal disease or its complications in the ‘Immunizations – pneumococcal’ CKS.

More than 90 strains of pneumococcal bacteria have been identified. PPV protects against 23 strains with 50-70% effectiveness against pneumococcal bacteraemia.

PCV protects infants against 13 strains, reducing the risk of pneumococcal meningitis, bacteraemia, pneumonia, and otitis media. PCV is also thought to provide 'herd immunity' by decreasing nasal carriage of S. pneumoniae, and to reduce the incidence of penicillin-resistant pneumococci.

Even so, researchers estimate that more than 4,000 UK patients will be hospitalised annually with PCV13 serotype CAP and more than 900 will be affected by invasive pneumococcal disease.7