23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (Naval Health Research Center)

The 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) is a non-conjugated vaccine containing purified capsular polysaccharides from 23 different serotypes of *Streptococcus pneumoniae*. These serotypes (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6B, 7F, 8, 9N, 9V, 10A, 11A, 12F, 14, 15B, 17F, 18C, 19A, 19F, 20, 22F, 23F, and 33F) represent the majority of strains responsible for invasive pneumococcal disease. The vaccine was the subject of a massive clinical effectiveness trial conducted by the Naval Health Research Center (NHRC) between 2000 and 2003, involving over 152,000 U.S. military trainees to evaluate its efficacy in preventing pneumonia and acute respiratory disease in high-density training environments. The trial utilized Pnu-Imune 23 (manufactured by Wyeth) and subsequently another commercial formulation. The study ultimately demonstrated that PPV23 did not provide a protective benefit against all-cause pneumonia in this specific healthy young adult population, although the vaccine remains a standard of care for elderly and high-risk individuals.

Brand names

Pnu-Imune 23Pnu-Imune23Pnu-Imune-23Pneumovax 23Pneumovax23Pneumovax-23

Other names

23-valent pneumococcal vaccinePneumococcal vaccine polyvalent23-valent pneumococcal vaccine-Naval Health Research Center-Pneumonia-Acute Respiratory Disease