Pneumococcal disease is caused by bacteria called Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus). People with pneumococcal disease can spread the bacteria to others when they cough or sneeze.

Pneumococcus bacteria can cause infections in many parts of the body, including

• Lungs (pneumonia) 
• Ears (otitis)
• Sinuses (sinusitis)
• The lining of the brain and spinal cord (meningitis)
• Blood (bacteremia)

Symptoms of pneumococcal infection depend on the part of the body affected. Symptoms can include fever, cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, stiff neck, confusion, increased sensitivity to light, joint pain, chills, ear pain, sleeplessness, and irritability. In severe cases, pneumococcal disease can cause hearing loss, brain damage, or death. You can find a full list of symptoms for each part of the body that is affected on the symptoms and complications of pneumococcal disease page.

Information by Destination

Where are you going?

-- Select One --AfghanistanAlbaniaAlgeriaAmerican SamoaAndorraAnegadaAngolaAnguilla (U.K.)AntarcticaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAustral IslandsAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanAzoresBahamas, TheBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBarbudaBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBermuda (U.K.)BhutanBoliviaBonaireBora-BoraBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBrazilBritish Indian Ocean Territory (U.K.)BruneiBulgariaBurkina FasoBurma (Myanmar)BurundiCaicos IslandsCambodiaCameroonCanadaCanary Islands (Spain)Cape VerdeCayman Islands (U.K.)Central African RepublicChadChileChinaChristmas Island (Australia)Cocos (Keeling) Islands (Australia)ColombiaComorosCongo, Republic of theCook Islands (New Zealand)Costa RicaCôte d'IvoireCroatiaCubaCuraçaoCyprusCzech RepublicDemocratic Republic of the CongoDenmarkDjiboutiDominicaDominican RepublicDubaiEaster Island (Chile)EcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEnglandEquatorial GuineaEritreaEstoniaEswatini (Swaziland)EthiopiaFalkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)Faroe Islands (Denmark)FijiFinlandFranceFrench Guiana (France)French Polynesia (France)GabonGalápagos IslandsGambia, TheGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGibraltar (U.K.)GreeceGreenland (Denmark)GrenadaGrenadinesGuadeloupeGuam (U.S.)GuatemalaGuernseyGuineaGuinea-BissauGuyanaHaitiHoly SeeHondurasHong Kong SAR (China)HungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIrelandIsle of ManIsrael, including the West Bank and GazaItalyIvory CoastJamaicaJapanJerseyJordanJost Van DykeKazakhstanKenyaKiribatiKosovoKuwaitKyrgyzstanLaosLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMacau SAR (China)MadagascarMadeira Islands (Portugal)MalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMarquesas IslandsMarshall IslandsMartinique (France)MauritaniaMauritiusMayotte (France)MexicoMicronesia, Federated States ofMoldovaMonacoMongoliaMontenegroMontserrat (U.K.)MooreaMoroccoMozambiqueMyanmar (Burma)NamibiaNauruNepalNetherlands, TheNew Caledonia (France)New ZealandNicaraguaNigerNigeriaNiue (New Zealand)Norfolk Island (Australia)North KoreaNorth MacedoniaNorthern IrelandNorthern Mariana Islands (U.S.)NorwayOmanPakistanPalauPanamaPapua New GuineaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPitcairn Islands (U.K.)PolandPortugalPuerto Rico (U.S.)QatarRéunion (France)RomaniaRotaRurutuRussiaRwandaSabaSaint BarthelemySaint CroixSaint Helena (U.K.)Saint JohnSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint MartinSaint Pierre and Miquelon (France)Saint ThomasSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSaipanSamoaSan MarinoSão Tomé and PríncipeSaudi ArabiaScotlandSenegalSerbiaSeychellesSierra LeoneSingaporeSint EustatiusSint MaartenSlovakiaSloveniaSociety IslandsSolomon IslandsSomaliaSouth AfricaSouth Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (U.K.)South KoreaSouth Sandwich IslandsSouth SudanSpainSri LankaSudanSurinameSwaziland (Eswatini)SwedenSwitzerlandSyriaTahitiTaiwanTajikistanTanzaniaThailandTimor-Leste (East Timor)TinianTobagoTogoTokelau (New Zealand)TongaTortolaTrinidad and TobagoTubuaiTunisiaTurkeyTurkmenistanTurks and Caicos Islands (U.K.)TuvaluUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUnited StatesUruguayUzbekistanVanuatuVatican CityVenezuelaVietnamVirgin GordaVirgin Islands, BritishVirgin Islands, U.S.Wake IslandWalesYemenZambiaZanzibarZimbabweGo

Pneumococcal disease occurs around the world but is more common in low- and middle-income countries where fewer people get vaccinated against pneumococcal disease. In places with four seasons, pneumococcal disease is more common during winter and early spring. In tropical climates with dry and rainy seasons, pneumococcal disease tends to occur more in the dry season.

Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect against pneumococcal disease. Pneumococcal vaccines are routinely recommended in the United States. 

CDC recommends PCV13 or PCV15 for

• All children younger than 5 years old
• Children 2 through 18 years old with certain medical conditions

For those who have never received any pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, CDC recommends PCV15 or PCV20 for

• Adults 65 years or older
• Adults 19 through 64 years old with certain medical conditions or other risk factors

CDC reocmmends PPSV23 for

• Children 2 through 18 years old with certain medical conditions
• Adults 19 years or older who receive PCV15

Some groups may need multiple doses or booster shots. Talk with your or your child’s clinician about what is best for your specific situation.

If you traveled and feel sick, particularly if you have a fever, talk to a healthcare provider and tell them about your travel. 

If you need medical care abroad, see Getting Health Care During Travel.

• Pneumococcal Disease
• CDC Yellow Book: Pneumococcal Disease in CDC Yellow Book