Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine

Definition

The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) is a vaccine designed to protect against Streptococcus pneumoniae, which can cause severe respiratory infections like pneumonia. It contains purified capsular polysaccharide antigens of the bacterium conjugated to a protein carrier to enhance immunogenicity in children.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. PCV targets multiple serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae, including those most commonly associated with invasive diseases.
2. It is particularly effective in young children under the age of 5 and older adults over the age of 65.
3. The vaccine induces both T-cell dependent and independent immune responses, improving antibody production.
4. PCV has significantly reduced incidences of pneumococcal diseases such as meningitis, sepsis, and acute otitis media.
5. There are different formulations of PCV, such as PCV7, PCV10, and PCV13, each covering a varying number of pneumococcal serotypes.

Review Questions

• What types of infections does the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine aim to prevent?
• In which age groups is the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine most effective?
• How does the conjugation of polysaccharides to a protein carrier enhance the effectiveness of the PCV?

Related terms

Streptococcus pneumoniae: A bacterium that causes respiratory infections such as pneumonia and meningitis.

Polysaccharide Vaccine: A type of vaccine that uses long chains of sugar molecules resembling those on the surface of bacteria.

Immunogenicity: The ability of a substance to provoke an immune response or the degree to which it provokes this response.