Last week, we talked about pneumococcal disease, which causes more than a million hospitalizations and more than 50,000 deaths each year, according to the American Lung Association. Today, we’ll pick up where we left off and talk about who is at higher risk for pneumococcal disease, how it spreads, and how you can protect yourself against this potentially deadly infection.
Who is at risk for pneumococcal disease?
There are several risk factors, including:
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Age – Children younger than 5 years old and adults 50 and older are at increased risk.
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Attending daycare/childcare
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Smoking
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Conditions that compromise your immune system, including:
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Having no spleen or a damaged spleen
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Immune deficiency diseases, including HIV
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Being on immune suppressing medications, such as some cancer patients and organ transplant recipients
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Chronic dialysis for kidney disease
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Sickle cell disease or other inherited blood disease
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Certain medical conditions, including:
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Alcoholism
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Chronic heart, liver, or kidney disease
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Diabetes
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Chronic lung disease, including COPD, emphysema, and asthma
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Having a cochlear implant
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Having influenza (flu) or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection can increase your risk of getting pneumococcal disease.
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Race/ethnicity – We are not sure why, but some racial and ethnic groups are at higher risk, including African Americans, Alaskan Natives, and certain American Indian people. Studies also show that African American adults tend to develop pneumococcal disease at younger ages compared to other groups.
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Having a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak
How is pneumococcal disease spread?
Like most respiratory viruses and bacteria, the pneumococcal bacteria spreads from one person to another through direct contact with respiratory secretions, such as saliva or mucus. Coughs and sneezes spread diseases (plus close personal contact).
Some people can carry pneumococcal bacteria in their nose or throat without getting ill from it. Although they may not be ill, they can spread the bacteria to others, who may become seriously ill from it.
How is pneumococcal disease treated?
Early diagnosis and treatment with antibiotics can treat most pneumococcal infections. Without timely diagnosis and treatment, it may be serious and life-threatening
Some pneumococcal bacteria have become resistant to many commonly used antibiotics, so it sometimes requires trying several antibiotics to treat the infection.
How can you reduce your risk of developing pneumococcal disease?
Getting vaccinated is the most effective way to reduce your risk of this infection. It is important to know that having pneumococcal disease once does NOT protect you from getting it again. Here are some other important things to know about the pneumococcal vaccine:
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It protects against many different strains of pneumococcal bacteria.
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It is commonly called the “pneumonia” vaccine.
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It protects against all types of infections caused by pneumococcus, not just pneumonia.
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It does not protect you against all pneumonia; just the serious form of pneumonia caused by pneumococcal bacteria.
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Vaccination is very effective, and the best way to avoid the disease, although vaccines cannot provide 100% protection.
Pneumococcal vaccines are currently recommended for:
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Children younger than 5 years old
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Adults 50 years or older (The recommended age recently changed from 65 or older.)
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Any age child or adult who is at an increased risk of pneumococcal disease based on the risk factors listed above.
I hope this has been helpful. If you have more questions about pneumococcal disease, our doctors are here to help.
Here are some links to more information about pneumococcal disease and the vaccines:
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Dr. Anita Bennett MD – Health Tip Content Editor