Prevnar (Pneumoccocal) Vaccine

What this Means to You

Frequent ear infections result in countless trips to the pediatrician, interrupted parental work schedules, antibiotic treatments of up to two weeks, and--more important--can cause temporary hearing loss and delayed language development. While ear infections are not life-threatening, they account for about one-fourth of all prescriptions for antibiotics.

Furthermore, indiscriminate use of antibiotics is regarded as a major factor in the development of antibiotic resistant bacteria, a growing public health threat.

A new vaccine called Prevnar, developed to prevent two serious disease caused by the pneumococcus bacterium - meningitis, an infection in the nervous system, and septicemia - a serious blood stream infection. These life-threatening infections, caused by seven strains of the bacterium pneumococcus, can lead to brain damage or even death. Infants are especially susceptible to these serious infections, and there has been no effective protection against them until now.

But the vaccine's broader value could be the reduction in the number of ear infections among young children--one of the most persistent afflictions of childhood--since the same bacterium is also responsible for about 10 - 20% of these illnesses.

The vaccine is expected to be given to all young children as part of their regular vaccination schedules. It acts against the seven strains of pneumococcus that cause 80 percent of all serious pneumococcal diseases in children younger than 6. Four doses will be recommended, given at 2, 4 and 6 months of age and finally between 12 and 15 months of age.

The vaccine appears to be safe, causing only the typical side effects, such as redness at the site of inoculation and fever. In a 2-month-old baby, fever is a cause for concern to both pediatricians and parents.

The remarkable success story of the H. infleunzae b (Hib) vaccine in reducing the incidence of this type of bacterial meningitis is proof that vaccines are an effective weapon in preventive medicine.

The promise of a safe and effective pneumococcal vaccine is very exciting and early indications suggest almost a 100 percent mastery against pneumococcal meningitis and blood infections. Because the vaccine also reduces the presence of the pneumococcus bacterium in the nose and throat, it is very likely that Prevnar will also be effective in preventing some of the bacterial inner ear infections