Question:
Assertion (A): The 23 valent pneumococcal vaccine is not recommended for routine use in children.
Reason (R): Most pneumococcal strains are still susceptible to penicillin.
Assertion (A): The 23 valent pneumococcal vaccine is not recommended for routine use in children.
Reason (R): Most pneumococcal strains are still susceptible to penicillin.
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Ask whether the reason talks about vaccines or about antibiotics.
Updated On: Jul 7, 2026
- Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
- Both A and R are true but R is NOT the correct explanation of A.
- A is true but R is false.
- A is false but R is true.
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The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Understand the assertion.
The 23 valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) is a plain polysaccharide vaccine, not a conjugate one. Plain polysaccharide antigens are what is called T-cell independent, meaning they need a mature immune system to respond well. Children below two years of age have an immature immune response to such antigens, so the vaccine does not reliably protect them at that age, and it is not used as a routine, universal vaccine in young children. It is instead reserved for older children with special risk factors, such as sickle cell disease or a missing spleen. So the assertion is true.
Step 2: Understand the reason.
The reason talks about penicillin susceptibility of pneumococcal bacteria, which is a separate microbiology fact about antibiotic treatment, not about vaccines. Taken as a standalone statement about antibiotic sensitivity patterns, it can be considered a true general statement.
Step 3: Check if the reason explains the assertion.
Even though both statements can be true, they describe two different things. The vaccine's limited use in young children is because of poor antibody response to polysaccharide antigens at that age, which has nothing to do with whether the bacteria still respond to penicillin. Antibiotic susceptibility affects how an infection is treated once it happens, not whether a vaccine works well enough to be given routinely beforehand. So R does not explain why A is true.
Step 4: Rule out the other options.
Option (a) fails because the link between A and R is missing, even though both are true on their own. Option (c) fails because R is not false. Option (d) fails because A is true, the vaccine genuinely is not recommended for routine use in children.
Final Answer:
Both A and R are true but R is NOT the correct explanation of A.
The 23 valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) is a plain polysaccharide vaccine, not a conjugate one. Plain polysaccharide antigens are what is called T-cell independent, meaning they need a mature immune system to respond well. Children below two years of age have an immature immune response to such antigens, so the vaccine does not reliably protect them at that age, and it is not used as a routine, universal vaccine in young children. It is instead reserved for older children with special risk factors, such as sickle cell disease or a missing spleen. So the assertion is true.
Step 2: Understand the reason.
The reason talks about penicillin susceptibility of pneumococcal bacteria, which is a separate microbiology fact about antibiotic treatment, not about vaccines. Taken as a standalone statement about antibiotic sensitivity patterns, it can be considered a true general statement.
Step 3: Check if the reason explains the assertion.
Even though both statements can be true, they describe two different things. The vaccine's limited use in young children is because of poor antibody response to polysaccharide antigens at that age, which has nothing to do with whether the bacteria still respond to penicillin. Antibiotic susceptibility affects how an infection is treated once it happens, not whether a vaccine works well enough to be given routinely beforehand. So R does not explain why A is true.
Step 4: Rule out the other options.
Option (a) fails because the link between A and R is missing, even though both are true on their own. Option (c) fails because R is not false. Option (d) fails because A is true, the vaccine genuinely is not recommended for routine use in children.
Final Answer:
Both A and R are true but R is NOT the correct explanation of A.
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