Pneumococcal vaccine (PCV10)

Pneumococcal vaccines (PCVs) protect against pneumonia and other pneumococcal infections caused by Streptococcus pneumonia bacteria. These bacteria can attack different parts of the body, causing severe infections in the lungs (pneumonia), the inner ear (acute otitis media), the bloodstream (bacteraemia), and the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord (meningitis). The WHO estimates that up to one million children die of pneumococcal infections every year, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa and South East Asia. In Ethiopia, pneumonia is the leading cause of death among children under five years, accounting for 28% of all deaths in this age group.

The Streptococcus pneumonia bacteria exist in many different "strains". Several different conjugate pneumococcal vaccines have been developed to give protection against different subsets of these strains. The vaccine that is being introduced in Ethiopia as part of the EPI is called PCV10, also known by its brand name Synflorix. PCV10 is highly effective at preventing infections caused by the strains of Streptococcus pneumonia bacteria included in the vaccine preparation.

Storage, dosage, route of administration and schedule of PCV10 vaccines

PCV 10 vaccine is a sensitive freeze vaccine which must be stored within +2ºC to +8ºC. Together with another vaccine like pentavalent vaccine because they are given to infants at the same immunisation session. The liquid PCV10 does not contain any preservative, so once you have opened a vial, any unused vaccine should be discarded after six hours and not returned to the refrigerator. The vaccination schedule for PCV10 (Synflorix) is the same as for the pentavalent vaccine: three doses are given at 6, 10 and 14 weeks of age by intramuscular (IM) injection into the right outer upper thigh muscle (the opposite thigh to the pentavalent vaccine). The dosage for each vaccination with PCV10 is 0.5 ml. The vaccine is a liquid that comes in two-dose vials.

Summary of the Pentavalent Vaccine (DPT-HepB-Hib)