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Prevnar, the vaccine to prevent pneumococcal infections in infants and children, is a 7-valent conjugate vaccine (PCV-7). In the U.S. and some other countries, it is given in three doses during the first 6 months of life, with a booster during the second year (3+1). It not only produces protective antibodies but also reduces nasopharyngeal pneumococcal carriage, thus lowering the risk for transmission to nonimmunized individuals. A schedule of immunization involving fewer than these four doses has been recommended in some countries, but the effect of these schedules on nasopharyngeal carriage is uncertain. Researchers in the Netherlands conducted a controlled trial to assess this effect before nationwide implementation of PCV-7 for all infa…