What is pneumococcal polysaccharides vaccine (PPV)?
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 polysaccharides vaccine (PPV) is used to prevent infection caused by pneumococcal bacteria. PPV contains 23 of the most common types of pneumococcal bacteria. PPV works by exposing you to a small dose of the bacteria or a protein from the bacteria, which causes your body to develop immunity to the disease. PPV will not treat an active infection that has already developed in the body. PPV is for use only in adults and children who are at least 2 years old. For children younger than 2 years old, another vaccine called Prevnar (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine [PCV] 7-valent) is used, usually given between the ages of 2 months and 15 months. Becoming infected with pneumococcal disease (such as pneumonia or meningitis) is much more dangerous to your health than receiving the
