Who should get  Prevnar?

Prevnar is recommended for adults 65 years or older, children younger than 5 years old, and patients  6 years or older with risk factors. 

In addition, adults 19 and older with the following medical conditions should  receive Prevnar:

• CSF leaks
• Multiple myeloma
• Solid organ transplant
• Sickle cell disease
• Asplenia
• HIV, immunodeficiency
• Renal failure
• Nephrotic syndrome
• Leukemia
• Hodgkin disease
• Generalized malignancy 

Children and infants younger than 2 years old should receive Prevnar at 2 months, 4 months, 5 months, and 12 and 15 months. The child will receive a total of 4 doses.

Children 2-5 years old who have not been vaccinated should receive 1 dose of Prevnar.

Children 2-5 years old with the following medical conditions and have not been vaccinated may need up to  2 doses of Prevnar:

• Sickle Cell Disease
• Cochlear Implant
• CSF leaks
• HIV/AIDS and other diseases that affect the immune system
• A damaged spleen or no spleen
• Heart or lung disease

Children 6 to 18 years old should receive a single dose of Prevnar if they have any of the medical conditions mentioned above and if they have not been previously vaccinated.

When is Prevnar given?

Adults 65 years or older should receive a dose of Prevnar® followed by  a dose of Pneumovax® 12 months later.

Adults19 to 64 years old  with one of the conditions listed above who have not been vaccinated should get a dose of Prevnar and  Pneumovax later. Those who have already received Pneumovax should  get  Prevnar and then receive Pneumovax after 5 years.

Who should receive  Pneumovax?

All adults 65 years or older.

Adults 19 to 64 years old who are immunocompromised including asplenia, sickle cell disease, congenital or acquired immunodeficiency, cancer, HIV, chronic renal failure or nephrotic syndrome, organ transplant, drug-induced immunosuppression. 

Patients  2 years old and over with an immunocompromised condition.

Adults 19 and 64 years old  with heart disease (including heart failure or cardiomyopathy), pulmonary disease (including COPD, emphysema, or asthma), diabetes, alcoholism, cigarette smoking, and chronic liver disease

References

Prevnar Prescribing Information

Pneumovax Prescribing Information

Pneumococcal Vaccination, CDC