Vaccine Cuts Pneumococcal Disease in Kids

A vaccine has significantly reduced the rate of a serious bacterial illness among young children with sickle cell disease, a U.S. study reports.

The study, published in the June 1 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, found the rate of serious pneumococcal disease dropped by more than 90 percent among children age 5 and under with sickle cell disease.

Dr. Natasha Halasa, of Vanderbilt University’s School of Medicine and colleagues, looked at pneumococcal disease rates among young children with sickle cell disease in Tennessee’s Medicaid program before and after the introduction in 2000 of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, or PCV.

PCV has been recommended for all children younger than 2 years, and for selected children 2 to 4 years with certain high-risk conditions, including sickle cell disease.

Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that affects red blood cells, sometimes turning these cells crescent-shaped. The deformed cells can get stuck in small blood vessels, creating blockages that can reduce blood flow, causing organ damage.