What does the 13-valent pneumonia vaccine prevent?

Pneumococcus is the main cause of pneumonia, meningitis, and otitis media. 13-valent pneumonia vaccine is mainly used to prevent lung diseases caused by pneumococcal infections. Children and immunocompromised elderly people are susceptible to pneumococcal disease and require 13-valent pneumonia vaccination to prevent pneumonia disease. Immunocompromised elderly people usually refer to those over 65 years of age with normal immune function but with chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, lung disease, diabetes, and cirrhosis of the liver. Immunocompromised individuals mainly include those with splenectomy or splenic insufficiency, sickle cell disease, Hodgkin’s disease, lymphoma, chronic renal failure, patients with nephrotic syndrome and organ transplants, asymptomatic and symptomatic HIV infections, patients with cerebrospinal fluid leaks, and people living in groups and staff in high-risk environments where pneumococcal infections or their complications occur, such as elderly people with long-term hospitalization and welfare agency personnel. However, it should be noted that 13-valent pneumonia vaccine is used to prevent infectious diseases caused by pneumococcal serotypes, including 1, 3, 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 7F, 9V, 14, 18C, 19A, 19F and 23F, and is not effective against pneumonia caused by other pneumococcal subtypes and other bacterial infections.