From the Guidelines
Prevenar 13 is the preferred pneumococcal conjugate vaccine due to its broadest coverage of 13 pneumococcal serotypes, as recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) in 2010 1. The main difference between Pneumosil, Prevenar 13, and Synflorix lies in their serotype coverage and formulation.
- Prevenar 13 protects against 13 pneumococcal serotypes (1,3,4,5, 6A, 6B, 7F, 9V, 14, 18C, 19A, 19F, and 23F), as stated in the ACIP recommendations 1.
- Synflorix covers 10 serotypes (1,4,5, 6B, 7F, 9V, 14, 18C, 19F, and 23F) and uses protein D from Haemophilus influenzae as a carrier protein.
- Pneumosil, on the other hand, covers 10 serotypes similar to Synflorix but with a different manufacturing process to reduce costs. The choice between these vaccines often depends on regional disease patterns, cost considerations, and availability, but Prevenar 13 is the most recommended option due to its broad coverage and approval for use among children aged 6 weeks–71 months, as stated in the ACIP recommendations 1. All three vaccines follow similar administration schedules, typically given as a series of doses in infancy followed by a booster, though specific schedules may vary by country and local recommendations, with PCV13 replacing PCV7 for all doses, as recommended by the ACIP 1.
From the Research
Overview of Pneumosil, Prevenar 13, and Synflorix
- Pneumosil, Prevenar 13, and Synflorix are pneumococcal conjugate vaccines used to protect against pneumococcal diseases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae.
- Prevenar 13 (PCV13) is a 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine that includes 13 serotype-specific polysaccharides of Streptococcus pneumoniae conjugated individually to non-toxic diphtheria CRM197 protein 2, 3, 4, 5.
- Synflorix is a 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, but there is no information about it in the provided studies.
Comparison of Prevenar 13 and Synflorix
- There is limited information available about Synflorix in the provided studies, making it difficult to compare it directly with Prevenar 13.
- Prevenar 13 has been shown to be effective in preventing vaccine-type pneumococcal community-acquired pneumonia, nonbacteremic and noninvasive pneumococcal community-acquired pneumonia, and invasive pneumococcal disease in adults aged 65 years or older 2, 6.
- The safety and reactogenicity of Prevenar 13 were generally similar to those of the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) 3, 4.
Key Differences
- The main difference between Prevenar 13 and other pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, such as Synflorix, is the number of serotypes included in the vaccine.
- Prevenar 13 includes 13 serotype-specific polysaccharides, while Synflorix includes 10 serotype-specific polysaccharides.
- However, without more information about Synflorix, it is difficult to determine the specific differences between the two vaccines.