"Pneumovax 23" - vaccination against pneumococcal infection
Temporarily out of stock
Pneumococcal vaccine, polyvalent.
Manufacturer: Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp (USA)
Protects against diseases: a vaccine to prevent 23 types of pneumococcal infections.
Try on: children aged 2 years and older and adults over 50 years old with an increased risk of contracting pneumococcal infection.
Not included in the national vaccination calendar.
IMPORTANT: vaccinations with the Pneumovax 23 vaccine are not carried out in clinics
Advantages of the Pneumovax 23 vaccine:
- Vaccine against the 23 most common and invasive serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae.
- The vaccine is effective against pneumococcal serotypes that are the most common cause of antibiotic-resistant pneumococcal infections.
- A single vaccination is required.
- The introduction of the vaccine leads to the rapid appearance of specific antibodies, which after 3 weeks provide immunity to infection lasting 5-10 years.
- 57% protective effectiveness of vaccination against invasive infections caused by serotypes included in the vaccine in children over 6 years of age.
- Mild side effects.
Doctors say pneumococcal vaccination will not help prevent COVID-19
Vaccination against pneumococcus helps to avoid infection with COVID-19, says Kant IKBFU research professor Andrei Prodeus.
“This is an absolutely confirmed fact: those vaccinated against pneumococcus are less likely to become infected,” the specialist told the Izvestia newspaper. “Their immunity can resist any respiratory viruses, including SARS-CoV-2. In some regions of Russia, the pneumococcal vaccine is included in free regional programs.”
At the same time, immunologist Maria Polner and therapist Marina Kazakova are confident that the pneumococcal vaccine cannot affect COVID-19 infection. They told Gazeta.Ru about this. Honored Doctor of the Russian Federation, leading scientific editor of vrachu.ru Mikhail Kagan also agrees with them.
“Of course, antibodies to pneumococcus, the production of which are caused by such vaccines, have no effect on Covid,”
- the expert noted in a conversation with Gazeta.Ru. However, he said, the pneumococcal vaccine activates the innate immune system, which can more effectively fight off any germs.
“These activated mechanisms are the same for both pneumococcus and covid, and indeed for all microbes. The disadvantage is that while protection against pneumococcus with antibodies lasts for years, activation of innate immune factors lasts a short time - a maximum of 2-3 months,” Kagan explained.
He added that at the moment there is no direct evidence of the effectiveness of vaccinations against pneumococcal infection against COVID-19, despite a number of indirect factors that suggest this.
However, earlier, in August 2021, a scientific group from Italy, which included specialists from the geriatric departments of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Padua and the Biomedical Campus in Rome, examined how vaccination against influenza and pneumococcus correlated with the results of PCR tests for COVID-19. The results of the scientific work were published in the scientific database PubMed.
The analysis found that adult and older respondents who received a pneumococcal vaccine in the past year were much less likely to test positive for coronavirus than their unvaccinated peers.
At the same time, vaccination against pneumococcal infection really helps to avoid complications from COVID-19, some Russian doctors are sure. As Maria Polner explained to Gazeta.Ru, not only with coronavirus, but also with any other acute respiratory viral infections, there is a high risk of complications in the form of bacterial respiratory tract infections, which are most often caused by pneumococcus.
“This is especially true for people with reduced immune defense,” the doctor emphasized. Prodeus, in turn, clarified that pneumococcus causes complications such as purulent otitis media, community-acquired pneumonia and sinusitis.
Vaccination against this bacterium can significantly improve the functioning of the barrier immunity of the mucous membranes, the doctor told Izvestia.
Pulmonologist Marina Kazakova said that there are two types of vaccines against pneumococcal infection. “There is a 13-valent vaccine, its use allows the formation of long-term immunity and memory cells. And there is a 23-valent polysaccharide vaccine that produces a pronounced immune response for about 5 years. Risk groups are recommended to administer both at intervals of 2 months to a year,” the expert explained to Gazeta.Ru.
According to infectious disease specialist Evgeniy Timakov, a 23-valent vaccine is suitable for adults, but children should get a 13-valent one. “The first acts on a larger number of subspecies of pneumococcus, but is less purified and can be more difficult to tolerate,” the doctor said in a conversation with Izvestia.
The chief epidemiologist of the Russian Ministry of Health, Nikolai Briko, meanwhile, told the publication that it is too early to say which vaccine is more effective in reducing mortality and the number of severe cases of coronavirus infection, since no one has yet conducted a comparative analysis of them within the framework of a pandemic. However, there are indeed recommendations that specifically state who is indicated for which drug.
“For children under two years of age, it is recommended to use the thirteen-valent vaccine. For people over 65 years of age, as well as patients with chronic diseases, we recommend starting with the same vaccine, and a year later being vaccinated with the twenty-three-valent one. The twenty-three-valent vaccine is recommended for healthy adults,” the specialist noted.
According to Nikolai Briko, the best result against coronavirus infection will be brought by combined vaccination – one that is effective against both pneumococcus and influenza. Such vaccinations reduce the number of deaths and the severity of the disease, due to the possible stimulation of innate immunity or any cross-immune reactions, the epidemiologist is convinced.
Indications for vaccination "Pneumovax 23"
Increased risk of developing pneumococcal disease, which is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and one of the leading causes of pneumonia, bacteremia, meningitis and otitis media in children over 2 years of age and in adults over 50 years of age.
Vaccination Pneumo 23, instructions for use (Method and dosage)
The instructions for Pneumo 23 stipulate that the vaccine is used parenterally. This solution must be administered directly from the syringe in which the product is packaged by the manufacturer.
The drug is administered subcutaneously or intramuscularly. Please note that it cannot be administered intravenously.
It is imperative that this vaccine is administered in a specialized medical facility by a qualified specialist.
Before receiving a dose of the vaccine, the patient must be examined by a specialist. If a person has a feeling of general weakness, hyperthermia, or exacerbation of chronic diseases, vaccination should be postponed.
After the drug has been administered, the person must remain under the supervision of a specialist for 30 minutes. If he develops anaphylactoid reactions, the patient is given emergency treatment.
The general scheme for using the vaccine is determined by the doctor. As a rule, during the first vaccination, one dose (0.5 ml) of Pneumo 23 is administered.
Revaccination is advisable after at least three years. When revaccinating, a person should also receive one dose (0.5 ml) of the product.
The permissible interval (three years) between the administration of Pneumo 23 can be reduced for people who have an increased likelihood of developing pneumococcal infection, as well as for those who have recently received immunosuppressive therapy.
Scheme and method of administration of the vaccine "Pneumovax 23"
In order to identify contraindications, the doctor conducts a survey and examination of the vaccinated person on the day of vaccination with mandatory thermometry.
Vaccinations are performed once. The vaccine is administered subcutaneously into the outer surface of the upper third of the shoulder. A single dose for all ages is 0.5 ml.
A single booster dose of Pneumovax 23 is recommended for persons 2 years of age and older who are at greatest risk of serious pneumococcal infections and those whose anti-pneumococcal antibody levels may decline rapidly, provided that at least five years have passed since The first dose of pneumococcal vaccine was administered. In children 10 years of age and younger who are considered to be at high risk for severe pneumococcal infections, revaccination with Pneumovax 23 may be considered three years after the previous dose of the vaccine.
pharmachologic effect
This drug is a pneumococcal polyvalent vaccine, which is used for prophylactic purposes - to prevent pneumococcal infections of various localizations.
In particular, the vaccine is intended for the prevention of pneumonia, meningitis , sepsis , and otitis media . The Pneumo 23 vaccination promotes the formation of specific immunity to twenty-three serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria.
After the Pneumo 23 vaccine has been administered once, a person has specific immunity for five years. The drug is widely used in children after reaching the age of two to prevent the development of pneumococcal infection in them.
Compatibility with other vaccines
The pneumococcal vaccine Pneumovax 23 can be given at the same time as the flu vaccine (which is given in the other arm). Such administration does not lead to an increase in the frequency of side effects or a decrease in the intensity of the immune response to the administration of each of the vaccines.
The pneumococcal vaccine can be administered simultaneously (on the same day) with other vaccines (except for vaccines to prevent tuberculosis) in different parts of the body using different syringes.
The Pneumovax 23 vaccine can be administered no earlier than 4 weeks after Zostavax vaccination.
Interaction with other drugs
Interaction with other drugs has not been established. Therefore, this vaccine can be safely given to children who take medications on an ongoing basis. If there is a need to administer several vaccines on one day, they are administered with different syringes into separate areas of the body. The only vaccine with which Pneumo 23 cannot be combined is BCG (vaccine against tuberculosis). In this case, it is better to postpone vaccination with Pneumo 23 for 2 months.
Before vaccinating, it is necessary to consult with a specialist about the need to vaccinate individually for each child.
By
Contraindications
Only a doctor can decide whether PNEUMOVAX 23 is suitable for vaccination
Pneumovax 23 is contraindicated if there is a history of an allergic reaction to any component of the vaccine.
Vaccination with Pneumovax 23 is contraindicated in the following cases:
- Hypersensitivity to any component of the vaccine, including neomycin; symptoms of hypersensitivity to previous vaccine administration.
- Acute infectious and non-infectious diseases, exacerbation of chronic diseases are temporary contraindications for vaccinations, except in cases where, in the opinion of a doctor, delaying vaccination entails an even greater risk.
- Vaccination during chemotherapy or radiation therapy should be avoided.
How to help your young child feel comfortable during vaccinations
Vaccination works better when the baby is calm and not afraid. To avoid scaring your child, try the following:
- Distract and calm your baby, hug him, talk softly to him
- Be calm, confident, smile.
- Maintain eye contact with your child.
- Communicate with your child, show that you are nearby and everything is fine.
- Let your child hold a favorite toy or blanket.
- Ask your doctor if you can hold your baby on your lap and gently rub his back during vaccination.
- Be sure to praise your child after vaccination, tell him how great he is and how proud you are of him. Support your baby, even if he couldn't help but cry.
