Pneumococcal Vaccine in Patients with Recurrent Infections

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the immunological response to the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) in patients investigated for immunodeficiencies due to recurrent infections at EPM-UNIFESP Clinical Immunology outpatient clinic. Methods: This is a longitudinal retrospective study. Data were collected from the medical records of patients between 2012 and 2020. The analyses were developed in two stages: before and after administration of the PPV23 vaccine. Results: A total of 390 patients who received the PPV23 vaccine were selected. Among those who demonstrated an adequate serological response (63.6%), there was a notable decrease in the risk of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) by 66%, tonsillitis by 74%, otitis by 76%, sinusitis by 49%, and uncomplicated pneumonia (PNM) by 77%. For invasive infections, the risk reduction was 95% for pneumonia with parapneumonic effusion and 93% for meningitis. Conclusions: The study demonstrated a significant decrease in the risk of bacterial infections following the administration of the PPV23 vaccine in this population. Therefore, we recommend including PPV23 in the vaccination schedule following pneumococcal conjugated vaccines for patients with recurrent pneumococcal infections to enhance protection and avoid complications.