Pneumococcal Pneumonia Shot

What is the pneumococcal pneumonia shot?

The pneumococcal pneumonia shot protects against a kind of bacteria that commonly causes pneumonia. Pneumonia is a term for several diseases that cause inflammation or infection of the lungs. A bacterium named Streptococcus pneumoniae causes the type of pneumonia called pneumococcal pneumonia (also called streptococcal pneumonia). The bacteria can also cause bacteremia (blood infection), meningitis (infection of the covering of the brain and spinal cord), and other infections.

Why should some people have this shot?

Pneumococcal pneumonia is the most common kind of pneumonia. It can occur after an upper respiratory tract infection, such as a cold or the flu, especially if you have a chronic disease or are over age 65. It affects nearly 500,000 Americans each year. Over 40,000 people die from it every year. The risk of getting pneumonia increases after age 40 and doubles after age 60. This shot cannot protect you from all types of pneumonia, but it can prevent the most common form.

Who should have the shot?

Your health care provider may recommend the shot if:

• You are 65 years old or older.
• You are scheduled to have chemotherapy (have the shot at least 2 weeks before chemotherapy starts).
• You have diabetes, heart disease, chronic lung disease, kidney disease, or liver disease.
• You have leukemia, Hodgkin's disease, multiple myeloma, or lymphoma.
• You are an alcoholic.
• You have HIV/AIDS, an organ transplant, or another condition that has weakened your immune system.
• You have sickle cell disease.
• Your spleen has been removed.

You should have no more than 2 shots of the pneumonia vaccine in your lifetime. The shots should be given at least 5 years apart.

Do not get the shot if you:

• have an infection now (wait until the infection symptoms go away)
• are allergic to thimerosal (a preservative made from mercury)
• had an allergic reaction to the vaccine in the past.

Talk to your health care provider before getting the shot if you think you are allergic to eggs.

Does the shot cause side effects?

After getting this shot you may have redness and pain in the area where you had the shot (a mild local reaction). Rarely (less than 1% of cases), fever, muscle aches, or severe local reactions occur. You cannot get pneumococcal infection from the shot.

What else should I know about this shot?

• The cost of the shot is covered by Medicare and most state Medicaid insurance. It may be covered by private health insurance, depending on the reasons you are getting it. Check with your insurance company.
• You can get the shot at your health care provider's office or at most local health departments.
• You can have a flu shot and a pneumococcal pneumonia shot at the same time without increasing side effects.
• Check with your health care provider about other shots you may need.
• For more information, contact:

  National Coalition for Adult Immunization
  4733 Bethesda Avenue, Suite 750
  Bethesda, MD 20814
  301-656-0003
  Web site: http://www.nfid.org/ncai

  American Lung Association
  1740 Broadway
  New York, NY 10019-4374
  800-586-4872
  Web site: http://www.lungusa.org

You can also get information from your local health department.