Pneumovax 23 (Pneumococcal Vaccine Polyvalent) is a vaccine that helps protect against serious infection, such as ear infection, sinusinfection, pneumonia, blood infection (bacteremia), and meningitis (infection of the covering of the brain) due to the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae. Pneumovax 23 vaccine is important for preventing infection in individuals at risk, including those with heart disease, lung disease, liver disease, kidney disease, diabetes, alcoholism, cirrhosis, spleenproblems, sickle cell anemia, HIV, certain cancers, adults over 65 years of age. Common side effects of Pneumovax 23 include:

• injection site reactions (pain, soreness, warmth, redness, swelling, tenderness, hard lump), 
• muscle or joint aches or pain, 
• fever, 
• chills, 
• headache, 
• nausea, 
• vomiting, 
• stiffness of the arm or the leg where the vaccine was injected, 
• weakness, 
• fatigue, or 
• skin rash.

A single 0.5 ml dose of Pneumovax 23 vaccine is injected subcutaneously (under the skin) or intramuscularly (in the deltoid muscle or lateralmid-thigh) by a physician or nurse. Pneumovax may interact with steroids, treatment for cancer with chemotherapy (medication), radiation, or x-rays, azathioprine, basiliximab, cyclosporine, etanercept, leflunomide, muromonab-CD3, mycophenolate mofetil, sirolimus, or tacrolimus. Tell your doctor all medications you are taking. During pregnancy, Pneumovax should be used only when prescribed. It is not known whether this drug passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding. 

Our Pneumovax 23 (Pneumococcal Vaccine Polyvalent) Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive view of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication.