A Reassessment of Pneumococcal Vaccine

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Abstract
Six years have elapsed since a polyvalent vaccine of pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides was licensed in the United States for the second time in three decades1; two earlier such vaccines had been withdrawn by their producer because of lack of use. The newly redeveloped vaccine was introduced because of evidence, confirmed repeatedly, that certain segments of the population were at high risk of death from bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia even when treated with potent antimicrobial drugs early in the course of infection.2 3 4 Fatality rates in excess of 25 per cent were observed in treated patients over the age of 50 years . . .