Pneumococcal Carriage and Vaccine Coverage in Retirement Community Residents

Objectives: To evaluate pneumococcal immunization in older adults living in retirement communities and to measure nasopharyngeal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae to better assess the potential for herd protection from the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV-13) in these settings.

Design: Cross-sectional observational study of adults aged 65 and older living in retirement communities to determine coverage with 23-valent pneumococcal vaccine (PPSV-23), coverage with PCV-13 in immuncompromised individuals according to 2012 Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) guidelines, and nasopharyngeal carriage of S. pneumoniae.

Setting: Two retirement communities in North Carolina.

Participants: Older adults recruited between December 2013 and April 2014 (N = 21, 64.8% female, mean age 81.4).

Measurements: A survey was used to assess chronic illnesses, immunization history, and potential risk factors for pneumococcal carriage; a chart review was used to confirm immunization history and abstract chronic conditions; and a nasopharyngeal swab was collected and cultured for S. pneumoniae.

Results: Eighty-seven percent of participants reported receiving PPSV-23 since age 65. Of the 16.2% of participants with an immunocompromising condition, only one had received PCV-13. Nasopharyngeal carriage with S. pneumoniae was detected in 1.9% (95% confidence interval = 0.0-3.8%) of participants.

Conclusion: In this select sample, PPSV-23 coverage was high, but adherence to the ACIP recommendation for PCV-13 in immunocompromised groups was low. Nasopharyngeal carriage of S. pneumoniae was present, although infrequent, suggesting that immunization with PCV-13 could provide an individual benefit and a small degree of herd protection.