Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine

In News

• Recently, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh has launched Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) immunisation drive for infants.

About

• The vaccine is a mix of several bacteria of the pneumococci family, which are known to cause pneumonia — hence ‘conjugate’ is included in the name of the vaccine.
• Conjugate vaccines are made using a combination of two different components.
• PCV was introduced in India’s Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP)  in a phased manner from June 2017 onwards.
• Earlier in December 2020, India’s first fully indigenously developed pneumococcal conjugate vaccine “Pneumosil” was launched.
• Advantages:
  • The conjugate vaccines have several advantages and their use could be promoted as they result into:
  • Improved immune and memory response,
  • Longer lasting protection,
  • The protection of infants and toddlers,
  • Their effect on the bacterial carriage,
  • The creation of herd immunity.

Pneumococcal disease

• About:
  • Pneumococcal disease is a name for any infection caused by bacteria called Streptococcus pneumoniae or pneumococcus. Most people carry pneumococcus in their nose and throat, where the bacteria do not cause any symptoms.
• Causes: 
  • Bacteria, viruses, or fungi can lead to pneumonia.
  • Top causes include:
  • Flu viruses
  • Cold viruses
  • RSV virus (the top cause of pneumonia in babies aged 1 or younger)
  • Bacteria called Streptococcus pneumonia and Mycoplasma pneumonia.
• Spread:
  • Pneumonia is contagious and can be spread through coughing or sneezing. It can also be spread through fluids, like blood during childbirth, or from contaminated surfaces.
• Symptoms:
  • Cough with phlegm or pus, fever, chills and difficulty breathing.

Status of Pneumonia in India

• As per UNICEF data, more than one lakh children under the age of five years die every year in India due to pneumococcal disease.
• The top five contributors to India’s pneumococcal pneumonia burden in terms of the number of cases and deaths were Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Jharkhand.
• Sustainable Development Goal 3 calls for an end to preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age. It also specifies that all countries should aim to reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 deaths per 1,000 live births.

Initiatives in fighting Pneumonia

• Global Action Plan for Pneumonia and Diarrhoea (GAPPD): It is an effort led by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF to accelerate disease prevention and control.
• Integrated Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Pneumonia and Diarrhoea (IAPPD): It was launched in the year 2014, to undertake collaborative efforts towards the prevention of diarrhoea and Pneumonia related under-five deaths.
• Global Forum on Childhood Pneumonia: It is an initiative of 9 leading health and children’s organisations including UNICEF, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Gavi among others.
• Social Awareness and Actions to Neutralize Pneumonia Successfully (SAANS) Initiative: It aims to reduce child mortality due to pneumonia, which contributes to around 15% of deaths of children under the age of five annually.

Source: TH