What is pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV)?
Pneumococcal disease is a serious infection caused by a bacteria. Pneumococcal bacteria can infect the sinuses and inner ear. It can also infect the lungs, blood, and brain, and these conditions can be fatal. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) is used to prevent infection caused by pneumococcal bacteria. PCV contains 7 different types of pneumococcal bacteria. PCV works by exposing your child to a small dose of the bacteria or a protein from the bacteria, which causes the body to develop immunity to the disease. PCV will not treat an active infection that has already developed in the body. PCV is for use only in children between the ages of 6 weeks and 10 years. For adults and children who are 2 years of age and older, another vaccine called Pneumovax (pneumococcal polysaccharides vaccine [PPV] 23-valent) is used. Becoming infected with pneumococcal disease (such as pneumonia or meningitis) is much more dangerous to your child’s health than receiving the vaccine to protect against it
