From the Research
The pneumonia vaccine is not routinely recommended for a healthy 21-year-old with an egg allergy, as the standard pneumococcal vaccines are not made with egg proteins and are considered safe, but are typically recommended for adults 65 and older, or younger adults with specific medical conditions. The egg allergy itself is not a contraindication to receiving pneumococcal vaccines, as these vaccines do not contain egg proteins in their manufacturing process, unlike some influenza vaccines which may contain trace amounts of egg protein 1.
Key Considerations
- Pneumococcal vaccines are typically recommended for adults 65 and older, or younger adults with certain medical conditions like chronic heart or lung disease, diabetes, immunocompromising conditions, cochlear implants, or those who smoke 2.
- The standard pneumococcal vaccines (Prevnar 13/20 and Pneumovax 23) are not made with egg proteins and are considered safe for people with egg allergies 1.
- If the 21-year-old has any of these risk factors, then vaccination would be recommended regardless of egg allergy status 3.
Vaccine Safety and Efficacy
- The pneumococcal conjugate vaccines have shown to be highly efficacious in preventing invasive diseases in high-risk groups 4.
- The 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) has been licensed for vaccination of adults >50 years based on safety and immunogenicity data; an efficacy trial is being conducted 1.
- Novel immunization strategies remain the only practical means to reduce significantly the remaining global mortality and morbidity due to S. pneumoniae in adults 1.