Polyvalent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccines; a review of the literature.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, mainly in children, elders and individuals with AIDS or AIDS-related complex, being a frequent bacterial cause of pneumonia, otitis media, sinusitis, bacteremia and meningitis. Polyvalent pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide vaccines contain the 23 most common pneumococcal serotypes causative of pneumococcal infection in several countries. Public Health Service Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) does not recommend the polyvalent pneumococcal vaccine for general public. However, several investigators have recommended its employment for special population at high risk, such as for HIV infection, who can be at enhanced risk for systemic pneumococcal disease. The objective of the present literature review is to relate the importance of studied different types of polyvalent pneumococcal vaccines as well as their immunological properties in the vaccinated people.