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Target Audience: Primary care pediatricians
Introduction of conjugate pneumococcal vaccines — first PCV in 2000 and then PCV13 in 2010 — has significantly reduced the incidence of invasive pneumococcal infections (NEJM JW Pediatr Adolesc Med Jun 26 2013), although the impact has been greatest in children aged 2 to 59 months. Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) continues to occur in children aged 6 to 18 years with medical conditions that elevate their risk for IPD; almost half of these cases are due to vaccine serotypes. Until now, recommendations for PCV13 have included children aged 2 to 59 months and children with high-risk conditions aged ≤71 months.