Which condition is an ACIP recommendation for receiving the Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV13) in adults?

The Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV13) is specifically recommended for adults with certain high-risk conditions to help prevent pneumococcal disease, which can lead to serious illnesses such as pneumonia, septicemia, and meningitis. Asplenia, the condition involving the absence of a functioning spleen, significantly increases the risk of infections from encapsulated organisms, including Streptococcus pneumoniae. Individuals with asplenia are thus recommended to receive the PCV13 to bolster their immune response against such pathogens.

While chronic lung disease, hypertension, and diabetes can pose health risks and might warrant vaccination against pneumococcal bacteria, they are not the specific conditions that are directly highlighted in ACIP guidelines for PCV13 in the same way as asplenia. Therefore, the strong recommendation for the vaccine in those with asplenia is based on their elevated vulnerability to infections from pneumococcal bacteria.