6 Vaccines to Prevent Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an infection or inflammation of the lungs that can be prevented by vaccination. Quoted from the site Indonesian Pediatric Association (IDAI), vaccination or immunization can build immunity to avoid catching or getting sick. The Government of the Republic of Indonesia has provided several types of vaccines as an effort to prevent pneumonia. Check out the full review below.
What vaccines can prevent pneumonia?
Quoted from Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia, the government provides several types of vaccines that can prevent pneumonia depending on the cause, namely measles vaccine, vaccine Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib), and vaccines Pneumococcus Conjugates Vaccine (PCV).
Measles vaccine
Pneumonia is one of the complications that arise from measles. As many as 1 in 20 children with measles can develop pneumonia. This complication in the form of pneumonia is the leading cause of death in children with measles.
Preventing measles can also prevent or reduce the risk of developing pneumonia as a complication. Measles can be prevented with the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, and rubella).
United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, give advice in the MMR vaccine, as follows:
- Starting with the first dose at 12 to 15 months of age
- The second dose is at 4 to 6 years of age
- Adolescents and adults should also update their vaccinations.
Two doses of MMR vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles. Meanwhile, one dose is about 93% effective.
Vaccine Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib)
This vaccine can help prevent disease Haemophilus influenza type b which can also lead to pneumonia. Yes, the flu can also progress to pneumonia.
Even so, this vaccine is only able to provide protection against flu that is caused by a viral infection Haemophilus influenzae type b. Not for other types of influenza.
The Hib vaccine is recommended for:
- All children under 5 years of age
- Children and adults who have not received vaccines and have certain medical conditions
- People who receive a bone marrow transplant
Pneumococcal vaccine
The pneumococcal vaccine can prevent infection Streptococcus pneumoniae or pneumococcus which is the most common cause of pneumonia. There are several types of pneumococcal vaccines, namely:
Pneumococcus Conjugates Vaccine (PCV)
Vaccine Pneumococcus Conjugates Vaccine (PCV) recommended for:
- Children under 2 years of age
- Children over two years of age or older who have certain health conditions
Vaccines are administered to children under 1 year of age with a dose of 3 times, namely at 2, 4, and 6 months of age.
The side effects caused by this vaccine are usually milder than other types of vaccines. Children may experience redness, swelling, pain at the injection site, fever, loss of appetite, fussiness, feeling tired, headache, and chills.
Children may also have an increased risk of seizures caused by fever after receiving the PCV vaccine that is given together with the inactivated influenza vaccine.
Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine (PPSV)
In adults, vaccine administration is divided into two stages. First, the conjugated pneumococcal (PCV) and polysaccharide or pneumococcal vaccines Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine (PPSV).
PPSV is recommended for:
- All adults aged 65 years or over
- Anyone who is two years of age or older who has a medical condition at increased risk of developing pneumococcal disease
Some people may need multiple doses or booster doses. Talk to your doctor about what is best for you or your child’s health condition.
Influenza vaccine
The best and most important step in efforts to prevent influenza which can cause pneumonia is to have an influenza vaccine every year. The CDC recommends everyone over 6 months of age get the influenza vaccine.
The influenza vaccine is also recommended for pregnant women and people with chronic health conditions. The flu vaccine can reduce getting sick from the flu, skip routine activities, and avoid flu-related hospital treatments.
DPT vaccine (diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus)
The DPT vaccine (diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus) can prevent pertussis (whooping cough) which may lead to complications in the form of pneumonia. This vaccine is included in the basic vaccine that must be given to infants.
The DPT vaccine is also recommended for all children, adolescents, and pregnant women. Adults who have never been vaccinated are also advised to do this vaccination.
The DPT vaccine is given to children in five doses at the age of:
- 2 months
- 4 months
- 6 months
- 15-18 months
- 4-6 years
Varicella vaccine
Pneumonia is a serious complication of varicella (chickenpox) infection in adults. Therefore, the varicella vaccine is important for preventing pneumonia.
Two doses of Varicella vaccine are about 90% effective at preventing chickenpox. However, it is possible that you will still experience chicken pox even after vaccinating. It’s just that, the disease is classified as milder than those who do not get the vaccine at all.
The following are recommendations for giving Varicella vaccine, quoted from the official website of the Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI):
- Given to children over 1 year old, once
- In children over 13 years of age, the vaccine is given 2 times with a span of 4-8 weeks
- If it’s too late, the varicella vaccine that can prevent pneumonia can be given at any time until adulthood.
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