Question

For which of these individuals is pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine recommended today? a) A 67 year old with type 2 diabetes who received PPSV23 on her 65th birthday b) A medical student prior to her pediatric clerkship c) A 23 year old healthy male who smokes d) A 14 month old child who completed the infant series for whom repair of a congenital heart defect is planned

Answer 1

The pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine is generally recommended for high-risk groups which include children under the age of 2 and adults over 65. In the provided scenario, the candidates for the vaccine are the 67-year-old diabetic patient, depending on her healthcare provider's recommendation, and the 14-month-old child with a heart defect.

Step-by-step explanation:

Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccines are generally provided to more vulnerable populations of individuals, specifically children younger than 2 years and adults older than 65 years. In the provided scenario, both a) the 67-year-old with type-2 diabetes and d) the 14-month-old child (who completed the infant series and is planning to undergo repair for a congenital heart defect) are recommended to have the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine.

However, for the 67-year-old patient, since she has already received PPSV23 at 65, she doesn't need the vaccine unless her healthcare provider recommends a different vaccination schedule based on her health condition. The remaining individuals (b and c) do not fall into the high-risk groups for which this vaccine is generally recommended.

Learn more about Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine