Pneumococcal vaccination among adults – updated Polish recommendations

Abstract

Diseases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) can be either invasive or non-invasive. In adults, pneumococcal infections most often occur as pneumonia, one of the leading causes of hospitalisation in these patients in Poland. Multiple factors predispose patients to the severe course of pneumococcal disease, including age, comorbidities, immune disorders and unhealthy behaviours, whereas the accumulation of coexisting conditions leads to risk stacking. Therefore, prophylactic vaccinations should be the preferred form of protection against pneumococcal infections in adults, based on high vaccination effectiveness and a relatively low risk of adverse events. Importantly, the current recommendations need to be updated in the context of epidemiological changes and the registration of new conjugate vaccines. This publication aims to present the current knowledge on the prevention of pneumococcal disease among adults and establish practical recommendations on the appropriate immunisation schedules used in Poland.

Keywords

• streptococcus pneumoniae
• immunization
• evidence-based medicine
• communicable diseases
• public health
• aged.