Efficacy of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in healthcare workers

To establish the efficacy of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) for healthcare workers protection from occupational acquired infection and impact of healthcare staff vaccination on the risk of transmission to patients.

Healthcare personnel (n=157 of whom 105 critical care department staff) and 1770 patients of that critical care department observed. Healthcare workers received PCV13. Infections caused by Str. pneumoniae, respiratory infections regardless of etiology, work absenteeism in healthcare workers during 12 month before and after vaccination assessed. In the same time monitoring of hospital-acquired infections in patients of critical care department performed. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS 24, relationships were assessed by rate ratio, Cox regression, logistic regression and Kaplan-Meier estimator.

Healthcare workers' vaccine coverage in critical care department was 97.2%. In healthcare personnel the rate of all pneumococcal infections, asymptomatic carriage of Str. pneumoniae and respiratory pneumococcal infections were decreased after vaccination by 2.1, 2.2 and 2.1 times accordingly. The rate of respiratory infections regardless of etiology was decreased by 30%, р<0.05. Cumulative percent of subjects without pneumococcal respiratory infections during 12 month was 87.9 before and 94.3 after vaccination, р=0.015. Work absenteeism due to respiratory infections was reduced. In patients of critical care department decreasing of all respiratory infections by 58%, pneumococcal respiratory infections by 66%, hospital acquired pneumonias by 46% were seen, р<0.05.

Healthcare personnel vaccination with PCV 13 is effective in protection from occupational acquired pneumococcal respiratory infections and asymptomatic carriage and promotes decreasing of hospital acquired infections among patients.