Pneumococcal Vaccine Side Effects

The method of stimulating the normal immune system towards a specific micro-organism by injecting inactive or killed form of that particular microbe is known as vaccination. It is also termed as immunization. When the vaccination is against pneumococcus bacteria, it is called pneumococcal vaccination or pneumococcal immunization. It stimulates the production of antibodies against pneumococcus bacteria. There are 80 different serotypes of this bacteria and almost 23 of them are known to cause certain types of respiratory disorders such as lung inflammation or pneumonia in humans. All of these 23 serotypes are covered up by pneumococcal vaccination. This vaccine is given to both adults and children who are more than 2 years of age. It is considered to be a safe vaccine, with minimum risks of side effects. However, the possibility of side effects cannot be denied.

Common Side Effects of Pneumococcal Vaccine
Almost 30-40% of people experience a few common side effects of pneumococcal vaccine. Side effects of common type are moderate in force and generally go away within 2-3 days. Such common pneumococcal vaccine side effects in adults as well as in kids include a rise in body temperature, higher than 100ºF. As per studies, about 15% of people show the onset of fever after taking pneumococcal vaccine. Lower than 2% of people, getting pneumococcal vaccination, have shown the occurrence of side effects like joint pain, nausea and a feeling of weakness and fatigue without a known cause. Yet, there are cases reported to have experienced drowsiness and loss of appetite. About 30% people develop a large red spot on the site of injection as a pneumococcal vaccine side effect.

Serious Side Effects of Pneumococcal Vaccine
Possibility of severe side effects of pneumococcal vaccine is very rare. It occurs in almost one out of 1/10 million cases. Vaccines have attenuated pathogenic microbes that act as antigens and trigger the immune system to produce antibodies against the active form of that particular microbe. There is always a potential risk of re-activation of these weakened microbes and creating havoc in your body. Therefore, vaccines are manufactured with utmost care and technology. Though possible dangers are almost nil yet they are always there.

Second possible serious side effect of pneumococcal vaccine is allergy. Like any other therapeutic agent, vaccines may produce an allergic reaction in your body. These may include redness, swelling, bleeding and pain at the site where the shot was given. Other serious side effects include swollen glands, skin rash and sudden rise of body temperature, which can be more than 102ºF. The severe side effects of this vaccine also include tingling and numbness of the hand in which vaccine was injected.

The common side effects of pneumococcal vaccine usually lasts for 1-2 days. These symptoms occur because of the production of antibodies in your body. They disappear after the given time period. However, in case they don't or you experience some of the serious side effects of pneumococcal vaccines, you should consult your doctor as soon as possible. An on-time medical assistance will prevent the complications from getting worse in future.