Pneumococcal Disease, a Serious Problem for Smokers
Published on November 17, 2008 5:04 AM
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Center for Disease Control (CDC) Committee recommends pneumococcal vaccine for all adult cigarette smokers because of pneumonia risk.
Why they recommended this vaccine only for smokers? This vaccine is for smokers because more than half of serious invasive pneumococcal diseases occur in people who smoke cigarettes.
They added that till 2009, adults with asthma should get the vaccine, because asthma is a serious disease that must be treated urgently. Adults aged 65 or over, and those with chronic illness, are already advised to get the vaccine.
According to a research, smoking just one cigarette a day doubles pneumococcal pneumonia risk. There's nearly four time higher risk in those who smoke 15 to 24 cigarettes a day.
The pneumonia risk increases with years of smoking and number of packs of cigarettes smoked every day. Researchers said that doctors who offer the vaccine to smokers should also offer counseling on quitting smoking.
Currently, vaccination with pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine is recommended for:
- All adults 65 or older
- Older people with chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, chronic lung, heart, kidney or liver disease, or alcoholism
- People with weak immune systems
- People without a functioning spleen
- People with sickle cell disease
Researchers reported that only smokers can decrease pneumonia disease by quitting.
