In this episode, Dr Roger Henderson explores pneumococcal disease and the major changes coming to the UK pneumococcal vaccination programme in 2026. Although often overshadowed by other infectious diseases, Streptococcus pneumoniae remains a leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly among older adults, young children and immunocompromised patients. This episode discusses the microbiology and clinical manifestations of pneumococcal disease, reviews the immunological principles behind current vaccines and examines why the UK is transitioning towards the use of the 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, or PCV20. It also looks at the wider public health implications of these policy changes and considers how evolving serotype epidemiology continues to shape vaccination strategy in modern clinical practice.
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