Table of contents:
- What is PCV immunization?
- How does the PCV vaccine work?
- Who needs to get the PCV vaccine?
- Giving PCV vaccine to infants and children
- How to give PCV immunization to premature babies?
- Are there any conditions that make it necessary to delay the PCV vaccine?
- Have a very severe allergic reaction
- Experiencing mild pain (not feeling well)
- How much does the PCV vaccine cost?
- Are there any side effects from the PCV vaccine?
- When to take your child to the doctor?
Immunization is a way to prevent the spread and transmission of diseases caused by viruses and bacteria. One of the vaccines that must be given to children is pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV). How is the PCV vaccine administered and are there any side effects caused by this immunization? Here's the explanation.
What is PCV immunization?
Quoting from the official website of the Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI), the pneumococcal vaccine or pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) is an immunization to prevent disease caused by bacterial infection streptococcus pneumoniae or more commonly called pneumococcal germs.
The disease caused by the pneumococcal germ is also referred to by the same name. Pneumococcal disease can affect anyone, but the most vulnerable are children aged less than 5 years and elderly people over 50 years of age.
Some of the diseases caused by pneumococcal bacteria are inflammation of the lungs (pneumonia), inflammation of the lining of the brain (meningitis), and blood infections (bacteremia).
In the official IDAI website, it is stated that pneumococcal disease is the leading cause of death among children under five. At least in 2015, around 14 percent of Indonesia's 147 thousand children under the age of 5 died from pneumonia.
This means that as many as 2-3 children under 5 years of age die from pneumonia every hour. This is what makes pneumonia the leading cause of death for children under the age of 5 in Indonesia.
According to pediatrician, Nastiti Kaswandani, giving PCV and HiB vaccines can reduce the mortality rate for children under five due to pneumonia by as much as 50 percent.
Launching from Kids Health, There are two types of PCV vaccines that need to be given, namely Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) and Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23).
PCV13 protects a person from 13 types of pneumococcal bacteria with a conjugate formula, which is a combination of protein and bacteria to increase protection.
While PPSV23 includes 23 types of bacteria that work with a polysaccharide formula, vaccines are made like certain bacteria to help the body build protection against those germs.
How does the PCV vaccine work?
Quoted from the NHS website, the two types of PCV immunization, both PCV13 and PPSV23, encourage the body to produce antibodies against pneumococcal bacteria.
Antibodies are proteins produced by the body to neutralize or destroy organisms (living things in the body) that carry toxins. Antibodies protect a person from bacterial infection,
Currently, more than 90 different types of pneumococcal bacteria have been identified but the majority do not cause serious infectious problems.
According to the numbers listed on the type of vaccine, PCV13 protects against 13 types of pneumococcal bacteria and PPSV23 protects against 23 types of bacteria. PCV immunization can prevent pneumococcal disease in about 50-70 percent.
Who needs to get the PCV vaccine?
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains that PCV immunization is divided into two, for children and adults. The PCV13 vaccine type is given to children under two years of age.
Meanwhile, the PPSV23 vaccine type is recommended for adults aged 65 years and over. In people who smoke, this type of PCV immunization can be given when he is 19 years old.
Giving PCV vaccine to infants and children
What are the recommendations for immunizing children? The world health agency or WHO recommends that babies receive PCV immunization for 3 mandatory injections and two injections booster or repetition.
The schedule for PCV immunization starts when the baby is 6 weeks old, with a distance of 4-8 weeks. So if your baby is immunized at 6 weeks of age, the next vaccine is given when he is 10 and 14 weeks (2, 4, 6 months).
PCV immunization usually coincides with the pentavalent vaccine (DPT-HiB-HB) and rotavirus. Immunization booster done when the child is 12-18 months, you can choose between these ages.
Usually immunization booster PCV is given together with the measles vaccine (if you haven't received MMR at 15 months of age), and vitamin A supplements. If your child is late getting the PCV vaccine, there is no need to repeat from the beginning, just continue according to the child's age.
For example, babies aged 6 months have not received the PCV vaccine, so giving PCV 1 and 2 immunizations can be done at the age of 7-11 months. The distance between 7-11 months is at least one month.
Meanwhile, if babies aged 12 months have not received PCV immunization, PCV 1 and 2 vaccines can be done at 12-23 months with a 2 month interval of administration.
How to give PCV immunization to premature babies?
WHO explains that premature babies still need to get the PCV vaccine. The gift is seen from the chronological age or when he was born.
For babies with low birth weight (LBW) who weigh less than 1500 grams, new immunizations can be obtained when the little one reaches the chronological age of 6-8 weeks. However, the vaccine can be given immediately if the baby weighs more than 2000 grams or 2 kilograms.
PCV immunization is recommended by IDAI and the Ministry of Health. However, currently the pneumococcal vaccine is still included in the immunization of choice along with MMR immunization.
What is the immunization of choice? This is a type of immunization that is not yet free and is not required by the government.
Meanwhile, the mandatory vaccines are immunization for hepatitis B, DPT, polio, and BCG. For the PCV vaccine, you can get it at certain hospitals or health clinics.
Are there any conditions that make it necessary to delay the PCV vaccine?
Immunization has many benefits, but the conditions need to be considered. There are several circumstances that make children need to delay giving PCV immunization, namely:
Have a very severe allergic reaction
The CDC does not recommend giving the PCV vaccine to people who have allergic reactions that are severe to life threatening. In very rare cases, people who are allergic to the PCV vaccine will be given other alternatives by doctors for other types of drugs.
Allergic reactions such as:
- Difficulty breathing
- The heart beats fast
- The fatigue was very bad
- Breath sounds
Before being given the vaccine, make sure you consult your doctor or other medical personnel about your little one's condition. This is important so that treatment is adapted to the baby's condition.
Experiencing mild pain (not feeling well)
If your child is experiencing mild illness, the doctor or medical staff will suggest delaying the PCV vaccine. This mild sick condition, such as fever, cough, and runny nose.
Giving immunization when the child's condition is not in good health, the vaccine cannot work optimally. You can schedule immunizations after the child is healthy.
How much does the PCV vaccine cost?
PCV immunization is one of several types of vaccines that are not mandatory and are not subsidized by the government. This makes the price of PCV immunization quite expensive and requires more funds.
When viewed from various hospital websites, the price of the PCV vaccine ranges from Rp. 500 thousand to Rp. 800 thousand depending on the type of vaccine. For this type of immunization, PCV 10 is around IDR 500 thousand, PCV 13 IDR 700 thousand, and PPSV 23 IDR 341 thousand.
The price of the PCV vaccine above is only an estimate, so it can vary according to the clinic and place of immunization.
Are there any side effects from the PCV vaccine?
Like any drug, including vaccines, of course there are side effects. Usually people who get this immunization only experience mild side effects and no serious problems.
Some of the side effects of PCV immunization include:
- Mild fever (38 degrees Celsius)
- Redness and pain at the injection area
- Loss of appetite
- Headache
- Fussy
These side effects usually go away on their own within two to three days. However, in very rare cases, the PCV vaccine can cause side effects of a severe allergic reaction, such as:
- Rash
- Sore throat
- Fast heart rate
- Difficulty breathing
However, this severe allergic reaction is very rare. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains that this only occurs 1 in 1 million immunizations.
There is no need to worry about the side effects of vaccines because they are not harmful. Children who are not immunized are more prone to contracting diseases because their bodies are not fully protected.
When to take your child to the doctor?
In some very rare cases, PCV immunization can cause dizziness and fainting effects. To fix this, ask your little one to lie down for about 15 minutes until his body feels better.
You should contact your doctor immediately when your child has a severe allergic reaction which is a dangerous side effect. Especially if you experience:
- Hard to breathe
- Rash on the skin until it burns
- Heart beat fast
- Cold and sweaty body
- Loss of consciousness
When visiting the doctor for a consultation, tell the doctor that your little one has just received the PCV vaccine. This is to make it easier for medical personnel to handle children according to their conditions.
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