The pneumococcal vaccine is offered by the National He alth Fund in a 10-valent version. In turn, parents can choose the 13-valent pneumococcus vaccine for a fee. Each newborn is not subjected to compulsory pneumococcal vaccination from January 1, 2022. What is the difference between the vaccines?
Contents:
- Pneumococcal vaccine - what are available?
- 10 and 13-valent pneumococcal vaccine - differences
Pneumococcal vaccine is supposed to protect us from pneumococcal infection. Pneumococci are bacteria that cause inflammation of the upper respiratory tract: otitis media and sinusitis, and more serious diseases: pneumonia, meningitis, as well as invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and sepsis.
There are about 90 pneumococcal serotypes (varieties). Studies have shown that 7 children are responsible for the majority of invasive infections in children - based on these studies, a 7-valent vaccine (PCV7) was developed that protects against 7 bacterial serotypes. After some time, a 10-valent vaccine (PCV10) was produced, which protects against 10 serotypes. The next step was to create a 13-valent vaccine (PCV13), protecting against 13 bacterial serotypes.
However, there are strains of pneumococci against which none of the vaccinations can protect us - we do not have protection against all 20 dangerous serotypes of bacteria, but remember that 10 is always more than nothing. Work is underway to further improve preventive vaccinations, and we may have vaccinations for all bacterial strains in some time.
WHO points out that both PCV-10 and PCV-13 have a similar and beneficial effect in reducing the incidence of pneumonia and invasive pneumococcal disease caused by the pneumococcal serotypes included in the vaccine formulation, in both vaccinated and vaccine populations. unvaccinated.
Pneumococcal vaccine - what are available?
There are several preparations available on the market to protect against pneumococcal infection, but the most important distinction is the strains they protect against. 10 and 13 valent vaccines are available.
We recommend: Vaccination against pneumococci - NFZ, possible complications, protection
Important- The 10-valent vaccine protects against 10 serotypes:1, 4, 5, 6B, 7F, 9V, 14, 18C, 19F and 23F.
- The 13-valent vaccine protects against 13 serotypes:1, 3, 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 7F, 9V, 14, 18C, 19A, 19F and 23F.
Until January 1, 2022, pneumococcal vaccinations were recommended, so parents had to purchase any vaccine on a prescription issued by a pediatrician. However, the Ministry of He alth left no choice and after introducing the pneumococcal vaccine to the compulsory vaccination calendar, purchased the PCV10 vaccine, i.e. the 10-valent vaccine.
Parents can now vaccinate their children with the free PCV10 vaccine or purchase the PCV13 vaccine on a prescription. There is one exception: PCV13 is available free of charge for immunocompromised children by doctor's decision.
10 and 13-valent pneumococcal vaccine - differences
- The 13-valent vaccine also protects against strains 3, 6A and 19A.
- The difference between the 10-valent vaccine and the 13-valent vaccine also lies in thevaccine coverage, which provides information about how well a given vaccine matches serotypes in Poland. According to the research conducted by KOROUN in 2009-2013, the coverage of the 13-valent vaccine is 82.4% in children up to 5 years of age and 63.6% in PCV10.
Government's Pneumococcal Vaccine
Vaccinations against pneumococci are obligatory in Poland from January 1, 2022. This means that every child born after December 31, 2016 must be vaccinated. Vaccinations can be carried out with the "Sanepidowa" vaccine. This is the 10-valent vaccine (PCV10) that we don't have to pay for.
If we want to vaccinate a child with the 13-valent vaccine (PCV13), we have to put money out of our own pocket.