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Pneumococcal Disease EU

CME

Pneumococcal Disease: Current Concepts for At-Risk Adults

Physicians: Maximum of 0.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™

Released: August 22, 2024

Expiration: August 21, 2025

Elisabeth Botelho-Nevers
Elisabeth Botelho-Nevers, MD, PhD, HDR
CME/CE Information

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Proportion of French Adults At Risk of Pneumococcal Diseases and Their Pneumococcal Vaccination Coverage

Improving protection against pneumococcal strains associated with mortality or antibiotic resistance is crucial. Despite the effectiveness of current vaccines in reducing the incidence of pneumococcal disease, vaccination coverage remains low, particularly among adults in France.

For children in France, the situation is different due to mandatory vaccination policies, leading to higher coverage. Even in countries without mandatory pneumococcal vaccination for children, the coverage is generally better. However, adult vaccination rates are relatively low across most European countries, with France being a notable example.

In France, vaccination coverage is alarmingly low among adults with chronic conditions and in individuals with immunocompromise, standing at about 18.8% for the latter group. When considering the entire vulnerable population, the coverage drops to only 4.5%. This is concerning, especially since nearly all these individuals have had consultations with a general practitioner, indicating many missed opportunities for vaccination.28

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Pneumococcal Vaccine Coverage of At-Risk Groups

In the rest of Europe, the situation is slightly better but still not ideal. Data on at-risk individuals show that vaccine coverage among these populations remains low.29

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Pneumococcal Vaccines Coverage of Older Adults

In some European countries, pneumococcal vaccines are recommended based not only on risk factors but also on age. However, this is not the case in France and so we see lower vaccination rates in older adults.29

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European Pneumococcal Vaccination Guidance

The data from the ECDC show that vaccination recommendations across Europe vary significantly by country. Recently, most countries have recommended PCV20, but some continue to recommend only polysaccharide vaccines, particularly for adults aged 65 years or older. The previously recommended schedule combining PCV13 and PPSV23 is still in use in certain countries.

In France, adult vaccination is not based on age but is recommended for specific groups and for people at high or moderate risk of pneumococcal disease, regardless of age.30

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European Pneumococcal Vaccination Guidance (continued)

Some countries have a general recommendation based on age alone, not on risk factors. For instance, in Greece, PCV20 is recommended for all individuals aged 65 years or older.30

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European Pneumococcal Vaccination Guidance (continued)

With PCV20 recently approved in Europe, some countries have adopted this new schedule and others still follow the previous schedule of PCV13 and PPSV23. Recommendations also differ based on age and risk factors; some countries have general recommendations for all individuals aged 60 or 65 and older, while others target specific groups at risk. It is important for healthcare professionals to be aware of these differences and follow the pneumococcal vaccine recommendations in their respective countries.30

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