Protection and Duration of 23-Valent Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine Against Hospitalization for…

Case-controlVaccines· Jul 2026

Protection and Duration of 23-Valent Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine Against Hospitalization for Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Older Adults with Low Vaccination Coverage: A Multicenter Matched Case-Control Study in China.

Tianchi Yang, Xingqiu Ying, Xiaoqing Wu … Yumin Tao

GeriatricsCase-controlClinical practiceQ1IF 3.6

23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccination linked to fewer community-acquired pneumonia hospitalizations in older adults

Protection and Duration of 23-Valent Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine Against Hospitalization for Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Older Adults with Low Vaccination Coverage: A Multicenter Matched Case-Control Study in China.

Tianchi Yang … Yumin Tao

Vaccines · Jul 2026

Background

23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) effectiveness against community-acquired pneumonia (community-acquired pneumonia) remains controversial, with critical gaps in low-coverage settings and beyond 5 years post-vaccination.

Methods

A multicenter matched case-control study was conducted across 14 hospitals in Eastern China (2018-2022).

n = 15,806 controls

Results

Vaccinated older adults had 22.5% lower hospitalization for lung infection than unvaccinated

VE 22.50 (95% CI 4.10 to 37.30)

null 0

4.10

37.30

CI excludes the null - significant

More results

Among 6645 cases and 15,806 controls, 5-year PPV23 coverage was 2.14% (cases) and 2.76% (controls).

More results

Protection was concentrated in non-severe community-acquired pneumonia (adjusted vaccine effectiveness = 25.7%, 95% CI: 7.0% to 40.7%), with no significant effect in severe community-acquired pneumonia (adjusted vaccine effectiveness = -11.7%, 95% CI: -115.1% to 42.0%).

“

Conclusion

PPV23 provides meaningful protection against community-acquired pneumonia hospitalization in elderly adults in low-coverage settings, only for non-severe disease. Waning efficacy beyond 5 years supports revaccination at that interval.

Protection and Duration of 23-Valent Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine Against Hospitalization for Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Older Adults with Low Vaccination Coverage: A Multicenter Matched Case-Control Study in China.

Protection and Duration of 23-Valent Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine Against Hospitalization for Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Older Adults with Low Vaccination Coverage: A Multicenter Matched Case-Control Study in China.

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