Abstract

The practical benefit of pneumococcal vaccination may still be the focus of controversy. There is no evidence that current vaccination reduces illness or mortality from bacteriemia, though many observational studies have shown a significant protective effect against it. As long as the protective effectiveness is well demonstrated, even if the preventive performance is still not ideal, the benefit of vaccination compared with risk and other costs may still support vaccination. Positive prevention as well as prompt diagnosis and effective treatment are vital, and vaccination may play a central part in prevention.