Advances in pneumococcal disease prevention: 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for infants and children.

A 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13), developed with the same chemistry used for the 7-valent PCV vaccine (PCV7) and with the goal of expanding serotype coverage, was clinically evaluated in the United States and Europe and found to induce capsular-specific antibody responses comparable to those of PCV7 for the common serotypes, with robust responses to the 6 additional serotypes. In addition, PCV13 has a similar safety profile to PCV7 and can be given routinely to infants and children, ideally as a 3-dose primary series in the first year of life, with a booster dose in the second year. Children who have initiated their vaccination program with PCV7 can transition to PCV13 at any point in the schedule. Children aged ≥15 months who have been completely vaccinated with PCV7 can receive a single dose of PCV13 to induce immunity to the 6 additional serotypes.