Pneumococcal vaccines are indicated for the prevention of serious pneumococcal infections in patients at high risk for pneumococcal disease such as patients with splenectomy, sickle-cell anemia, nephrotic syndrome, and chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and patients 50 years of age or older.

The onset of antibody titers occurs within 2 to 3 weeks, with duration of 5 to 8 years

Hypersensitivity to any component of the vaccine.

C

It is not known if antigens contained in Pneumovax? 23 are distributed into milk. The vaccines should be used with caution in nursing women.

Adverse effects include thrombocytopenia, hyperpyrexia, hypersensitivity, and injection-site reactions, such as soreness, induration, erythema, and tenderness.

Adults: 0.5 ml IM or SC for adults and children age 2 and older; a single dose is effective. Do not administer intravenously or intradermally. Children: 0.5 ml of the polyvalent vaccine SC or IM for pneumococcal prophylaxis; pneumococcal vaccine may be administered at the same time as influenza vaccine (by separate injection in the other arm)

Vials left at room temperature inadvertently can be refrigerated again without loss of potency if the period of time at room temperature does not exceed 72 hours. A one-time exposure to freezing temperatures does not alter the antigenicity of the vaccine.