The pneumococcal vaccine is a preparation of biological material that is injected into your body and causes your body to form antibodies to pneumococcus (plural = “pneumococci”) bacteria. Whenever you are exposed to a particular type of bacteria, whether through an infection or via vaccination, your body produces antibodies to that bacterium. These antibodies then circulate in your bloodstream and can prevent—or at least lessen—the effects of future infections with that bacterium.
As mentioned previously in this articles, people with RA have approximately twice the risk of developing infections as compared with the risk for the normal population (that is, people without RA). In particular, these patients are at risk for bacterial infections of the lung, such as bronchitis and pneumonia. One of the most common types of pneumonia is caused by the pneumococcal bacterium. Use of the pneumococcal vaccine has been shown to lower the risk of infections and complications from infections caused by pneumococci. Unfortunately, this vaccine is not effective in preventing the complications of pneumonias caused by other types of bacteria.
People with RA have approximately twice the risk of developing infections as compared with the risk for people without RA. Use of the pneumococcal vaccine has been shown to lower the risk of infections and complications from infections caused by pneumococci.
Studies of patients with RA who received the pneumococcal vaccine have demonstrated that this vaccination is both safe and effective. Vaccination does not result in disease flares or lead to deterioration of clinical and laboratory measures of RA disease activity.
According to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the pneumococcal vaccine is recommended for people who are older than 65 years of age and for people who are aged 2 to 64 and are at increased risk of getting pneumococcal pneumonia because of a long-term illness. All patients with RA should receive the pneumococcal vaccine, and should be encouraged to repeat the vaccination every five to six years.