Pneumococcal vaccination in celiac disease

Introduction: Celiac disease (CD) is an immune-mediated disorder associated with gluten exposure in genetically predisposed subjects. Areas covered: Infectious disease is one of the causes of morbidity and mortality in CD patients. Invasive streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is a particularly dangerous morbid condition in both the general population and celiac patients. Pneumococcal vaccination is the most effective means for its prevention. Expert opinion: In CD, evaluation of spleen function should be useful to select patients who may benefit from vaccination to reduce the risk of pneumococcal disease. Different strategies could be employed: physicians could search for signs of hypos…