How often should a patient receive meningococcal and pneumococcal vaccines after a splenectomy?

Following a splenectomy, patients are at an increased risk for infections, particularly from encapsulated organisms like Neisseria meningitidis and Streptococcus pneumoniae. The current guidelines for vaccination recommend that patients receive the meningococcal and pneumococcal vaccines, with the pneumococcal vaccine typically given every 5 years thereafter to maintain adequate immunity. This is crucial because individuals without a spleen are more susceptible to infections, and maintaining a robust immune response through periodic vaccination is essential for their health.

The choice indicating that these vaccines should only be given once does not take into account the need for booster doses to ensure continued protection, which is crucial for sustaining protective immunity against these pathogens. Therefore, patients should adhere to a 5-year interval for pneumococcal vaccinations and maintain vigilance regarding their vaccination schedule to mitigate the risk of serious infections post-splenectomy.