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What is pneumococcal disease?
Pneumococcal disease is an infection caused by
a type of bacteria called pneumococcus.
When these bacteria invade the lungs, they can cause pneumonia.
They can also invade the bloodstream, causing bacteremia, and/or
invade the tissues and fluids surrounding the brain and spinal
cord, causing meningitis. Pneumococcal disease can also cause
middle ear infection and sinus infections.
Pneumococcal disease is a very serious illness.
Invasive pneumococcal disease kills nearly 5,000 people in the
United States each year, most of them 65 years of age or older.
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What are the symptoms
of pneumococcal disease?
The symptoms of pneumococcal disease vary depending
on the illness caused by the bacteria.
The symptoms of pneumococcal pneumonia
include sudden onset of illness characterized by shaking chills,
fever, shortness of breath or rapid breathing, chest pain that
is worsened by breathing deeply and a productive cough.
The symptoms of pneumococcal meningitis
include stiff neck, fever, mental confusion and disorientation,
and visual sensitivity to light.
The symptoms of bloodstream infection, or pneumococcal
bacteremia, may include a combination of the symptoms of
pneumonia and meningitis, along with joint pain, fever, and chills.
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How can I protect myself
against pneumococcal disease?
The best way to protect against pneumococcal disease
is through vaccination. There are two types of pneumococcal vaccine
currently available: a conjugate vaccine recommended for all children
younger than two years and a polysaccharide vaccine recommended
for all adults 65 and older and those persons 2 to 64 years of
age with certain underlying medical conditions.
A single dose of the pneumococcal polysaccharide
vaccine protects against the 23 types of Streptococcus pneumoniae
bacteria that are responsible for causing more than 90 percent
of all disease cases of pneumococcal in adults. |
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Who needs to get the pneumonia
shot?
Vaccination against pneumococcal disease
is recommended for:
- People who are 65 years of age or older.
- Anyone 2 years of age and older with chronic
medical conditions such as diabetes; heart, kidney, liver or
chronic lung diseases; or alcoholism.
- People with a weakened immune system due
to illnesses such as HIV infection, AIDS, chronic renal failure,
organ transplantation, Hodgkin's disease, lymphoma, multiple
myeloma, or other cancers.
- People without a functioning spleen and those
with sickle cell disease.
- Residents of chronic care or long-term care
facilities.
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How do I know the vaccine
is safe?
The pneumococcal vaccine is safe and effective
in preventing illness and death due to pneumococcal disease. Some
adults have experienced mild side effects, but these are usually
minor and last only a short time. When side effects do occur,
the most common include swelling and soreness at the injection
site. A few adults experience fever and muscle pain.
As with any medicine, there is a small risk that
serious problems could occur after getting a vaccine. However,
the potential risks associated with pneumococcal disease are much
greater than the potential risks associated with the pneumococcal
vaccine. You cannot get pneumococcal disease from the vaccine.
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Quick Pneumococcal Disease
Facts
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Fact |
Pneumococcal disease can
be prevented with a safe, effective vaccine. |
Fact |
You cannot get pneumococcal
disease from the vaccine. |
Fact |
Pneumococcal vaccine is fully
covered by Medicare Part B if the healthcare provider
accepts the Medicare-approved amount. |
Fact |
Pneumococcal vaccine can
be given at any time during the year. |
Fact |
Pneumococcal vaccine can
be given at the same time as influenza vaccine. |
Fact |
Each year in the United States,
pneumococcal disease accounts for an estimated 175,000
hospitalized cases of pneumococcal pneumonia, 34,500 cases
of bacteremia and 2,200 cases of meningitis. Pneumococcal
disease also results in approximately 4,800 deaths annually.
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Fact |
Estimates find that only
56% of non-institutionalized adults 65 years of age or
older and fewer than 20% of adults in other high-risk
groups who should get the pneumococcal vaccine have received
it. |
Fact |
A single dose of pneumococcal
vaccine is recommended for most persons 65 years or older.
Some people who were younger than 65 when they received
the pneumococcal vaccine may need a second dose. |
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| Information
for this page collected from the National Foundation for Infectious
Diseases
4733 Bethesda Avenue, Suite 750 | Bethesda, MD 20814 |
http://www.nfid.org/pneumococcal/consumers_factsheet.html
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