Pneumococcal disease is the leading cause of serious illnesses in children and adults worldwide. The disease is a bacterial infection caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, also known as pneumococcus. Across the globe, more children die from pneumococcal infections than AIDS, malaria and measles combined.
Be Aware, Take Care
Pneumococcal disease is highly contagious. S. pneumoniae, commonly found in the nasopharynx of healthy infants and adults can be transmitted from person to person via respiratory droplets expelled through coughing or sneezing.
S. pneumoniae can attack many different parts of the body, causing a wide range of problems. Those infected with the bacteria may suffer a range of debilitating and lifethreatening illnesses such as meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain), pneumonia (inflammation of the lungs), bacteraemia (blood infection) and acute otitis media (infection of the middle ear).
Complications and Treatment Difficulties
Pneumococcal infections can develop as quickly as one to three days and complications that arise can be severe. Delayed treatment of pneumococcal disease can lead to hearing loss, paralysis, brain damage and even death.
Infections, in general can be treated with penicillin but recent surveillance studies show that more and more pneumococcal strains are becoming resistant to penicillin and some other commonly-used antibiotics. This situation complicates treatment and may result in costly alternative therapies.
Vaccination, Your Best Form of Defence
The best way to protect your family against pneumococcal disease is through vaccinations. Infants and very young children are at high risk of deadly infections if they are not immunised against the disease.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), up to 1 million children die each year from pneumococcal disease worldwide. Published studies on pneumococcal disease in Malaysia have shown pneumonia to be the most common clinical presentation, with morbidity and mortality being highest in children under two years of age.
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) has been proven to safely and effectively reduce the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease (meningitis, bacteraemia and pneumonia) and otitis media in young children. In Malaysia, since 2005, a 7-valent paediatric pneumococcal conjugate vaccine has been made available for the prevention of pneumococcal infections. There now exists a 10-valent conjugate vaccine, the Pneumococcal Non- Typeable Haemophilus influenzae Protein D Conjugate Vaccine (PHiD-CV) which has been specially designed to improve the prevention against invasive pneumococcal disease coverage by providing protection against 3 additional pneumococcal strains (serotypes 1, 5 and 7F) and nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae otitis media.
Additionally, individuals looking to vaccinate older family members and children 2 years and older who are at high risk for disease may request from their family physician, the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23). The two pneumococcal conjugate vaccines and PPV23 are currently available at all government and private hospitals and clinics.
Link between Pneumococcal Infection and Deaths in the Recent H1N1 Flu Pandemic
Pneumococcal infections have recently been identified as an important complication in severe and fatal cases of H1N1 influenza A virus infection. Influenza predisposes individuals to developing secondary bacterial pneumonia, a common cause of illness and death in flu pandemics of the 20th century.
Individuals with weak or impaired immunity, the old and very young are especially susceptible to developing secondary bacterial infections and severe complications from influenza.
Vaccine Now More Accessible!
More parents can now give their child the protection they need against pneumococcal disease, thanks to the recent drop in prices of the vaccine. Now that the vaccine is more affordable, take this opportunity to provide your little wonder with the extra protection that may save his life.
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