Articles

Streptococcus pneumoniae is an important pathogenic bacteria causing pneumonia and invasive pneumococcal diseases, and the vaccination for pneumococcal vaccination is recommended in patients with RA and other autoimmune disorders. Compared with the immunocompetent individuals, frequency and the mortality rate were higher in the RA patients. The effect of pneumococcal vaccination may not be weakened in people using corticosteroid and biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) currently being used, but mild to relatively inhibition of immunogenicity was suggested in patients using either methotrexate or rituximab. Administration of 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13), rather than 23-valent Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) may be desirable in preventing pneumonia in people with autoimmune disease and sequential administration of PCV13 in people aged ≤64 years and PPSV23 from age ≥65 years may be useful for preventing pneumonia in people with autoimmune disease according to the insurance system. In addition, PCV15 and PCV 20 will be available soon and expected for more clinical efficiency rather than current PCV13 and PPSV23.