H1N1 flu precedes dramatic rise in bacterial pneumonia, but vaccinations are available

According to the latest CNN report, the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) reports that swine flu can often result in secondary bacterial infections of pneumonia. See the CNN article, H1N1 linked to rise in bacterial pneumonia cases‎, according to the latest CDC reports of Nov. 26, 2009. But only 25 percent of people over age 65 in the US are getting their bacterial pneumonia prevention vaccination. And few older adults or younger people at high risk are even informed that they need it.

CDC officials are urging high-risk adults to get vaccinations against both pneumonia and H1N1. Smokers and people with diabetes, chronic heart conditions, and persons over age 65 are encouraged to get the pneumonia vaccination. According to the latest CDC reports, as H1N1 cases are rising, so are bacterial pneumonia cases, health officials are finding. Should  you get vaccinated against a secondary infection of bacterial pneumonia in case you get the flu, and your immune system is weakened by the flu virus?

According to CDC reports, doctors are seeing an increase in flu complications leading to pneumonia. At the same time, the flu is at record levels because of the new H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu. The number of cases is outpacing the typical number of regular flu cases at this time of year. Cases of regular flu usually peak between December and May.

If you look at what killed people who caught the flu, usually it's the secondary infection of pneumonia. You have bacteria living in your mouth and nose that don't make you ill when you are not sick with the flu or other virus infections. But when your immune system is compromised, the bacterial pneumonia might take over with a secondary infection just when you think you're getting over the flu.

Of course, a vaccination against bacterial pneumonia won't help if what you have is viral pneumonia. But if it's that secondary bacterial infection causing the pneumonia, you can get a pneumonia shot every 10 years, especially if you're an older person as immune systems weaken with advancing age.

The pneumococcal vaccine should not be received by persons with a prior history of hypersensitivity reactions to the vaccine. The safety of PPV during the first trimester of pregnancy has not been evaluated. Pregnant women or those contemplating pregnancy should consult their doctors for additional information. See the index of articles on who should get this vaccination.

Pneumococcal vaccination prevents infection by 23 types of pneumococcus bacteria. Childhood pneumococcal vaccination is recommended, as is vaccination for adults older than 65, and people over 2 years of age who have congestive heart failure, diabetes, chronic liver disease, alcoholism, cardiomyopathy, COPD, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, spinal fluid leaks, HIV, leukemia, asplenia, multiple myeloma, kidney failure, or sickle cell disease. Adult smokers in particular should get this vaccination, unless you have had allergic reactions to it in the past.

The "pneumonia vaccine" is given to prevent one specific type of pneumonia--the pneumonia caused by the Pneumococcus (Streptococcus pneumoniae) bacterium. Pneumonia caused by Pneumococcus is the most common form of infection occurring outside of a hospital or institutional setting in the U.S. More rare is viral pneumonia.

Since so many more people get bacterial pneumonia than virus pneumonia, and 6,000 deaths per year in the U.S.-- the highest number for any vaccine-preventable disease occur from bacterial pneumonia. A serious complication of pneumonia, pneumococcal meningitis, is associated with a particularly high fatality rate. Consider a pneumonia vaccination if you're not allergic to it. How would you know? Well, what other vaccinations made from similar ingredients have you had a reaction to in the past? Talk to your doctor.

Here's where to get information on whether you should get a pneumonia vaccination, and who needs it most.

What is pneumococcal vaccination?

Who should consider pneumococcal vaccination?

Vaccines: VPD-VAC/Pneumo/Publications

 Pneumonia, disease information, NCID, CDC