The health care community and people from around the globe took note of World Pneumonia Day on November 12. The annual designation reminds the world that pneumonia can strike anywhere, anytime.
According to the American Lung Association, pneumonia is a serious, potentially life-threatening lung infection, primarily caused by viruses, bacteria or fungi that are transmitted from one person to another. The most common type of bacterial pneumonia is pneumococcal pneumonia
People 65 or older are at greater risk of being hospitalized after getting pneumococcal pneumonia. In fact, that risk is 13 times greater than younger adults aged 18 to 49, and for those requiring hospitalization, an average hospital stay of six days. Severe cases of pneumonia can result in death. Symptoms present abruptly and include difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, chest pain, high fever, excessive sweating and shaking chills and coughing. Certain symptoms of pneumococcal pneumonia including cough and fatigue and may last for weeks, or longer.
In addition to the risk older people face, people with weakened immune systems or certain chronic health conditions — like asthma or COPD — are especially at risk for infectious disease. For adults 65 and older living with COPD, the risk for contracting pneumococcal pneumonia is 7.7 times higher than their healthy counterparts, and those with asthma are at 5.9 times greater risk.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, all adults 65 years or older should receive pneumococcal a vaccination. Rates of vaccination among U.S. adults remain low, lagging well behind expert recommendations and federal goals.
The American Lung Association reminds health care practitioners to speak with their patients about appropriate CDC-recommended vaccinations and conduct a personal risk assessment.
