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Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine: What You Need to Know
Why get vaccinated?
Pneumococcal disease is a serious disease that causes much sickness and death. In fact, pneumococcal disease kills more people in the United States each year than all other vaccine-preventable diseases combined. Anyone can get Pneumococcal disease.
Pneumococcal disease can lead to serious infections of the lungs (pneumonia), the blood (bacteremia), and the covering of the brain (meningitis). About 1 out of every 20 people who get pneumococcal pneumonia dies from it, as do about 2 people out of 10 who get bacteremia and 3 people out of 10 who get meningitis. People with the special health problems mentioned above are even more likely to die from the disease.
Who should get PPV?
All adults 65 years of age or older.
Anyone over 2 years of age who has a long-term health problem such as:
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Heart disease
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Lung disease, asthmatics, people with COPD, or a history of pneumonia
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Sickle cell disease
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Diabetes
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Alcoholism
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Cirrhosis
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Leaks of cerebrospinal fluid
Anyone over 2 years of age who has a disease or condition that lowers the body's resistance to infection, such as:
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