[Consensus document on pneumococcal vaccination in adults at risk by age and underlying clinical conditions. 2017...

Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and pneumococcal pneumonia (PP) represent an important health problem among aging adults and those with certain underlying pathologies and some diseases, especially immunosuppressed and some immunocompetent subjects, who are more susceptible to infections and present greater severity and worse evolution. Among the strategies to prevent IPD and PP, vaccination has its place, although vaccination coverage in this group is lower than desirable. Nowadays, there are 2 vaccines available for adults. Polysacharide vaccine (PPV23), used in patients aged 2 and older since decades ago, includes a greater number of serotypes (23), but it does not generate immune memory, antibody levels decrease with time, causes an immune tolerance phenomenon, and have no effect on nasopharyngeal colonization. PCV13 can be used from children 6 weeks of age to elderly and generates an immune response more powerful than PPV23 against most of the 13 serotypes included in it. In the year 2013 the 16 most directly related to groups of risk of presenting IPD publised a series of vaccine recommendations based on scientific evidence regarding anti-pneumococcal vaccination in adults with underlying pathologies and special conditions. A commitment was made about updating it if new scientific evidence became available. We present an exhaustive revised document focusing mainly in recommendation by age in which some more Scientific Societies have been involved.