ACIP Provisional Recommendations for Use of Pneumococcal Vaccines

Moral of the story: Do you smoke? Are you asthmatic? Then get this vaccine! Smokers have been added to those who the CDC will recommend receive the vaccine to guard against a certain type of pneumonia.

• smokers (19 and older)
  
• asthmatics (19 and older)
  
• People without a functioning spleen
• Adults 65 and older
  
• Anyone 2 and older with a weakened immune system (HIV, cancer
  
• Anyone 2 and older with a chronic disease (diabetes, COPD, emphysema, sickle cell anemia, or any other heart, lung, kidney, or liver disease including alcoholics)
  

The vaccine is 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vacine (PPSV23). It protects against 23 types of Streptococcus pneumoniae that cause a sever type of pneumonia that has a mortality rate near 20%. ACIP is the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices - the CDC usually adopts their recommendations.

Provisional Recommendations for Use of Pneumococcal Vaccines

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/provisional/downloads/pneumo-oct-2008-508.pdf

Date of ACIP vote: October 22, 2008
Date of posting of provisional recommendations: December 8, 2008
On October 22, 2008, the ACIP voted on new and revised recommendations for the use of 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) for the prevention of invasive pneumococcal disease. The new provisional recommendations are as follows:

1. Recommendation for use of the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) among adult cigarette smokers:
Adults who smoke cigarettes are at substantially increased risk for invasive pneumococcal disease. The ACIP recommends that cigarette smoking should be added to the list of indications for PPSV23 in adults aged 19 through 64 years. Proposed wording of the revised recommendation: Persons aged 19 through 64 years who smoke cigarettes should receive a single dose of PPSV23 and smoking cessation counseling.

2. Recommendation for use of PPSV23 among adults who have asthma:
Asthma is an independent risk factor for invasive pneumococcal disease. The ACIP recommends that asthma should be included among the chronic pulmonary diseases (such as COPD and emphysema) that are indications for PPSV23 in adults aged 19 through 64 years. Proposed wording of the revised recommendation: “Persons aged 19 through 64 years who have asthma should receive a single dose of PPSV23.”