Vaccines and Preventable Diseases: PCV13 (Pneumococcal
Conjugate) Vaccine Questions and answers for health care
professionals about PCV13 for children How is PCV13 different
from PCV7? PCV13 and PCV7 are manufactured in a similar fashion
and PCV13 will replace PCV7 for prevention of pneumococcal
disease in children. Because PCV7 has been used since 2000 there
is now significantly less pneumococcal disease caused by the
seven strains. Even though there is less disease overall, other
strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae that are not in PCV7 have
become more common. PCV13 includes 6 additional serotypes,
protecting against more disease than PCV7. In particular, PCV13
vaccine protects against serotype 19A, which has become the most
common pneumococcal serotype and is often resistant to
antibiotics. Should children who already received the full
4-dose vaccine series of PCV7 be vaccinated with additional
dose(s) of PCV13? Yes, children 12 through 59 months of age who
are fully vaccinated with 4 doses of PCV 7 should