Table of Contents
- Overview
- Prevention
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The pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine helps protect against severe infections due to the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae:
- In the blood
- In the lungs (
pneumonia ) - Of the coverings of the brain (
meningitis )
Alternative Names
Vaccine - pneumovax; Immunization - pneumovax
Information
VACCINE INFORMATION
The pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine is an inactivated-bacteria vaccine. After you get a vaccine, your body learns to attack the bacteria if you are exposed to it. This means you are less likely to get sick from an infection due to this type of bacteria.
Review Date: 12/18/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of
General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington
School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical
Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
