Drug information

 
What is Pneumovax 23? What is Pneumovax 23?

What is Pneumovax 23?

Pneumovax 23 (also known as PPSV23) is a vaccine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the prevention of disease caused by infection with the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae. Pneumovax 23 is approved for use in people 50 years of age and older. It is also approved for children 2 years of age and older who are at increased risk for pneumococcal disease.

Streptococcus pneumoniae infection can cause different types of illness, including community-acquired pneumonia. Community-acquired pneumonia can be an opportunistic infection (OI) of HIV. An OI is an infection that occurs more frequently or is more severe in people with weakened immune systems—such as people with HIV—than in people with healthy immune systems. To learn more about OIs, read the HIVinfo What is an Opportunistic Infection? fact sheet.

The Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Opportunistic Infections in Adults and Adolescents with HIV and the Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Opportunistic Infections in Children with and Exposed to HIV include recommendations on the use of Pneumovax 23 in people with HIV.

What should I tell my health care provider before receiving Pneumovax 23? What should I tell my health care provider before receiving Pneumovax 23?

What should I tell my health care provider before receiving Pneumovax 23?

Before receiving Pneumovax 23, tell your health care provider:

  • If you or your child is allergic to any ingredients in Pneumovax 23, or any other medicines. Tell your health care provider if you or your child has ever had any reactions to a previous dose of Pneumovax 23 or any other pneumococcal vaccine.
  • About any medical conditions you or your child has or has had, including heart or lung problems.
  • If you or your child has a fever.
  • If you or your child has a weakened immune system, takes medicines that might weaken the immune system, or are receiving radiation treatment or chemotherapy.
  • About any health conditions that may prevent you or your child from receiving medicine by injection. 
  • If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Talk to your health care provider about the risks and benefits of receiving Pneumovax 23 during pregnancy.
  • If you are breast/chestfeeding or plan to breast/chestfeed. For people with HIV in the United States, the Guideline recommends speaking with your health care provider to discuss options for feeding your baby. People with suppressed viral load have a less than 1% chance of transmitting HIV to their baby via their own milk. 
  • About other prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you or your child are taking or plan to take. Pneumovax 23 may affect the way other medicines or products work, and other medicines or products may affect how Pneumovax 23 works. Ask your health care provider if there are interactions between Pneumovax 23 and the other medicines you or your child take.

Ask your health care provider about possible side effects from Pneumovax 23. Your health care provider will tell you what to do if you or your child have side effects.

How is Pneumovax 23 given? How is Pneumovax 23 given?

How is Pneumovax 23 given?

Pneumovax 23 is given by a health care provider as an injection into the muscle or under the skin. 

Adults with HIV who have never received a pneumococcal vaccine usually need one dose of Pneumovax 23 given at least 8 weeks after receiving pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (15-valent).

In adults with HIV who have previously started or completed a pneumococcal vaccination series, your health care provider will determine what additional vaccine doses may be needed.

Children (2 years of age and older) with HIV usually need two doses of Pneumovax 23. The first dose of Pneumovax 23 is given at least 8 weeks after the last dose of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. A second dose of Pneumovax 23 is given 5 years after the first dose of Pneumovax 23.

Read any printed information that your health care provider gives you about Pneumovax 23.

Where can I find more information about Pneumovax 23? Where can I find more information about Pneumovax 23?

Where can I find more information about Pneumovax 23?

 

Last Reviewed: March 3, 2023