Vaccines Global Summit

Pneumococcal and Meningococcal Vaccines are vital vaccines, from a preventive point of view, in avoiding fatal diseases due to bacteria. These are among any young child, older adult, and anyone with weak or impaired immunity. These vaccines are against two kinds of bacteria, but they are serious ones, namely, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis, which can cause diseases like pneumonia, meningitis, and sepsis.

The pneumococcal vaccine is a vaccine given against infections from the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae. The bacterium causes a number of diseases and conditions including pneumonia, sepsis, and meningitis. There are two main types, the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, commonly referred to as PCV13, and the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine, known as PPSV23. The former vaccine is usually administered to infants and young children. On the other hand, PPSV23 is administered to older adults and other patients with an increased risk of developing pneumococcal disease. It is a very effective vaccine in preventing serious pneumococcal diseases, especially in young children and the elderly. Similarly, widespread use of the pneumococcal vaccine has decreased the rate of antibiotic resistance because fewer infections require treatment with antibiotics.

The meningococcal vaccine is aimed at preventing infection caused by Neisseria meningitidis, a bacterium that leads to the aggressive, potentially lethal form of infection known as meningococcal meningitis, an infection of the membranes that enclose the brain and spinal cord. Meningococcal disease can also trigger septicemia, which is infection in the blood, leading to shock and eventual organ failure. There are several types of meningococcal vaccines, though they target different strains of the bacterium. The meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4) is often used in adolescents but is also used in some at-risk groups of military recruits and travelers to locations where meningococcal disease is more common. MenB vaccines target serogroup B, which remains one of the biggest meningococcal disease-causing agents in many parts of the world.

Pneumococcal as well as meningococcal vaccines are very effective in preventing these dangerous bacterial diseases. Introduction of vaccines in immunization schedules worldwide has resulted in thousands of lives saved and the morbidity of bacterial meningitis and pneumonia being drastically brought down, especially among young children and vulnerable groups. Also, immunization at high levels is pertinent in achieving continuous protection, especially in areas still plagued with diseases. Public awareness complemented by continued efforts in vaccination, therefore, plays a key role in avoiding recurrence and assisting global public health.