Pneumococcal Vaccines in Preterm Infants: Are More Doses Better? Implications for Other Vaccines.

Abstract

* Abbreviations: IPD — : invasive pneumococcal disease PCV — : pneumococcal conjugate vaccine Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) have significantly decreased invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in whole populations, and they are among the many ongoing stories of vaccine successes around the world. However, IPDs remain far too common, especially in certain populations. When it comes to the timing of PCV administration, most physicians follow their nationally recommended vaccine schedules, which have been well studied in specific and well-defined populations. In the United States the recommended immunization schedule for children is the one approved by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and endorsed by the major professional societies including the American Academy of Pediatrics.1 The timing of vaccine doses in the schedule recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is based on a thorough evaluation of available science, age-dependent variation in the immune system, vaccine interactions, and practical considerations related to vaccine delivery, but we have more to learn to truly optimize vaccine delivery.2 It turns out for PCV that the levels of … Address correspondence to Mark H. Sawyer, MD, FAAP, 3020 Children’s Way, #5124, San Diego, CA 92123. E-mail: mhsawyer{at}ucsd.edu