Severe protracted fever following pneumococcal vaccine

Streptococcus pneumoniae is one of the most common virulent pathogens in the world, causing the vast majority of cases of community-acquired pneumonia in patients who are hospitalized as well as a host of other illnesses, ranging in severity from otitis media to septic shock. Primary prevention with pneumococcal vaccines has effectively reduced the rates of associated morbidity and mortality. These various vaccine formulations have all shown excellent safety profiles. Since 1977, when commercial pneumococcal vaccine first became available, fewer than 10 case reports have been published describing the development of serious side effects in adults after their first vaccination. We describe a 40-year-old healthy man who, after receiving polyvalent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine, developed severe protracted fever for 9 days.