For the first time, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending that adults age 50 and older be vaccinated against pneumococcal pneumonia.
This recommendation is a 15-year reduction from the CDC’s previous recommendation to get vaccinated at age 65.
“While pneumococcal disease is more common in young children, older adults are most at risk for severe illness and death,” the CDC said in a statement.
Pneumococcal vaccines help protect against serious infections, including invasive diseases that attack parts of the body that are normally free of bacteria, such as the blood.
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Vaccines also help prevent diseases such as pneumonia, meningitis, sinusitis, and ear infections.
These vaccines are recommended for children under 5 years of age, people over 50 years of age, and people at high risk of becoming seriously ill from pneumococcal infections.
“Lowering the age range for pneumococcal vaccination will give more adults the opportunity to protect themselves from pneumococcal disease at an age when their risk of infection significantly increases,” the CDC said.
Pneumococcus is spread by direct contact with respiratory secretions such as saliva and mucus.
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Age, condition, and other factors can increase the risk of the disease, with children under 5 and adults over 65 at higher risk.
Symptoms of pneumococcal infection vary depending on the area of the body infected. CDC
Symptoms of pneumococcal disease vary depending on which part of the body is infected and are usually similar to other bacterial infections in that part of the body.
Serious infections, such as lung infections or pneumonia, can include chest pain, cough, fever or chills, rapid breathing, or difficulty breathing.
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Symptoms of pneumococcal meningitis, an infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord, include confusion, fever, headache, sensitivity to light, and stiff shoulders. In infants, symptoms include loss of appetite, poor drinking, decreased alertness, and vomiting.
