Vaccination of infants against pneumococcal infections (2)

Pneumococci can cause serious disease, including meningitis, bacteremia and pneumonia; they are also an important cause of otitis media (middle ear infection). Pneumococcal disease is most prevalent in the very young and the elderly. Partly on the advice of the Health Council the Minister of Public Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS) has decided that as of 1 April 2006 infants may be vaccinated via the National Immunisation Programme (Rijksvaccinatieprogramma, RVP) against pneumococcal disease. Until recently only one vaccine was available for this purpose: Prevenar® (hereinafter referred to as PCV7), which confers protection against seven common types of pneumococcus bacterium.