What is the strep pneumonia vaccine?
The strep pneumonia vaccine can help protect you from getting pneumococcal disease. Some people call it the pneumonia shot, but it protects against more diseases than just pneumonia. Pneumococcal disease can lead to serious illness and death. People that are at greater risk from the disease are those 65 or older, the very young and people with special health problems. Pneumococcal disease is caused by the streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. This bacteria can lead to serious infections of the lungs (pneumonia), blood (bacteremia) and brain (meningitis) Who should get the vaccine? All adults age 65 and older or anyone over two years old who has long-term health problems such as heart disease, lung disease, sickle cell anemia, diabetes, alcoholism, cirrhosis or cerebrospinal fluid leaks should get the vaccine. In addition, anyone over two years old who has a disease or condition that lowers the body’s resistance to infection, including Hodgkin’s disease, Lymphoma, leukemia, kidney failure,
