Prevention of adult pneumococcal pneumonia with the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine: CAPiTA, the community-acquired pneumonia immunization trial in adults

The aging of the world population is expected to be accompanied by increased pneumococcal pneumonia in older adults. To address this, the Community-Acquired Pneumonia immunization Trial in Adults (CAPiTA), a large, randomized, placebo-controlled trial conducted to assess the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) in adults ≥ 65 years, found statistically significant vaccine efficacy for first episodes of vaccine-type community-acquired pneumonia (VT-CAP; 46%), nonbacteremic/noninvasive VT-CAP (45%), and VT invasive pneumococcal disease (75%), along with an acceptable safety profile. Study results were presented to the US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices in June 2014, which subsequently recommended sequential PCV13 and 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccination for adults ≥ 65 years. Thus, appropriate protection of adults at risk for pneumococcal CAP will include vaccination with PCV13.