About Prevnar-13

The Prevnar vaccine was first introduced in 2000, and has been modified several times. The most recent is called the Prevnar 13 and is administered at 2, 4, 6, and 12-15 months.  It protects against a bacteria called Streptococcal pneumoniae , which can cause anything from ear infections to more serious infections like pneumonia, bacteremia or blood infections, and meningitis or infections of the brain and spinal cord. It’s easily spread from person to person, and children under 2 yrs of age and adults older then 65 yrs of age are most susceptible to this infection.

Before this vaccine was available, this bacteria caused 5 million ear infections, 13,000 blood infections, and 700 cases of meningitis and 200 pediatric deaths a year. Of those that survived the meningitis, a significant number of them were deaf or neurologically devastated. See link from a family who want to show others what this horrible disease can do to a child.

Outcome

Since the Prevnar vaccine hit the market, the diseases caused by this bacteria have been reduced 88%. The disease this vaccine prevents can be so aggressive and horrible, that it’s hard to understand why anyone would conceivably put their child at risk by not vaccinating.

This post and attempt at education is done in memory of those families who lost a normal and healthy child to this horrible disease, either through death or from neurological devastation. They did not have the opportunity to vaccinate their child, but you do!

Below is a video of a family with a child living with Pneumococcal Meningitis.

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