From the Research
PCV20 (Prevnar 20) is recommended for patients with hepatitis C, as it provides protection against 20 serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae that cause the majority of pneumococcal infections. Patients with chronic liver diseases like hepatitis C have an increased risk of invasive pneumococcal disease, making vaccination particularly important 1. The standard adult dosing for PCV20 is a single 0.5 mL intramuscular injection, with no need for revaccination. For hepatitis C patients who previously received PCV13 or PPSV23, PCV20 can still be administered, but at least one year should elapse after PCV13 and at least a year after PPSV23 2, 3.
Key Points
- PCV20 is well-tolerated, with possible side effects including injection site pain, fatigue, headache, and muscle pain 2, 4, 3
- The vaccine provides robust immune responses to all 20 vaccine serotypes, including those not covered by PCV13 3, 5
- PCV20 is expected to help protect against all 20 vaccine serotypes, reducing the impact of pneumococcal disease 3, 5
- Liver dysfunction in hepatitis C patients can compromise immune function, making them more susceptible to serious bacterial infections, including pneumococcal pneumonia, meningitis, and bacteremia 1
Administration and Safety
The safety and tolerability profile of PCV20 is similar to that of PCV13, with no significant safety concerns identified 2, 4, 3. The incidence of adverse events and the frequency and severity of local reactions and systemic events are generally similar after PCV20 and PCV13 administration 3.
Immunogenicity
PCV20 has demonstrated robust immune responses to all 20 S. pneumoniae serotypes covered by the vaccine, with geometric mean fold rises from baseline ranging from 6.0 to 113.4 4. The vaccine has also shown noninferiority to PCV13 for all 13 matched serotypes and to PPSV23 for 6 of 7 additional serotypes 3.