More Children Need Their (PCV7) Pneumococcal Vaccinations

Just a few years ago, in the year 2000 to be specific, another vaccine was added to the list of routine and recommended childhood vaccinations. The vaccination, PCV7, protects children from pneumonia, middle ear infections (otitis media) and other pneumococcal-related illnesses. There are more than 90 different types of pneumococcal-related illnesses, including bacteremia and meningitis.

In a recent press release, researchers announced that while the number of children who are getting this important childhood immunization continues to increase, over half of all children are not getting this important vaccination.

Researchers determined that the greatest proportion of children who did not receive the vaccination, or who received some, but not all of the vaccinations, came from low-income households. They were likely to be of Hispanic or African American descent.

Even though only half of the children had received this vaccination, the rate of pneumococcal diseases has already begun to decrease.

Prior to the introduction of the PCV7 vaccination, the pneumococcal bacteria had caused the most cases of streptococcus pneumoniae, bacterial meningitis, and pneumonia in infants and young children living in the United States. Additionally, some protection is provided by the PCV7 vaccination against S. pneumoniae bacteria.

Streptococcus pneumoniae occurs when bacteria enters the bloodstream; bacterial meningitis is an infection that occurs in the fluid in the spinal cord and around the brain.

"There were problems in the first couple years with lack of vaccine, but overall there have been studies showing incredible success in reducing pneumonia and other invasive pneumococcal disease," said James Cherry, M.D., a professor of pediatrics at Mattel's Children's Hospital at UCLA. Cherry was not involved in the study.

The PCV7 vaccine is given in a series of four shots. According to the Mayo Clinic, it should being when a baby is just two months old.

Researchers studied over 85,000 children in completing this study. Nearly half, 45.5 percent, of children who were born in 2000 had received the first dose of the PCV7 vaccination before they were one year old. By 2002, that figure had increased to 62.1 percent - over half of children born in 2002 received the first dose of PCV7 by their first birthday.

By the time the children born in 2000 children were two years old, only 30.7 percent had received the recommended four doses. In comparison, nearly half, 49 percent, of the children born in 2002 had received all four doses by the time their second birthday rolled around.

While these figures show that the number of children receiving this important vaccination continues to increase, less than a quarter, 24.4 percent, of children are receiving the PCV7 vaccination according to the recommended schedule.

Sources:
http://www.hbns.org/getDocument.cfm?documentID=1620
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vaccines/HQ01629
http://www.nfid.org/factsheets/pneumofacts.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streptococcus_pneumoniae