Pneumococcal vaccination in adults: recommendations, trends, and prospects

Abstract

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends vaccination against Streptococcus pneumoniae for all people age 65 and older and also for younger people at high risk. However, experts continue to debate the efficacy of the vaccine; most observational studies found it beneficial, while clinical trials were inconclusive as a group. Although pneumococcal vaccination may or may not protect against pneumonia or death from any cause, it does significantly decrease the risk of invasive pneumococcal disease and is worthwhile for this reason.