Pneumonia Vaccination
Prevent Pneumonia in the lungs
Pneumonia is an infection of one or both lungs, usually caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi. Currently, over 3 million people develop pneumonia each year in the United States. Over a half a million of these people are admitted to a hospital for treatment. Although most of these people recover, approximately 5% will die from pneumonia. Pneumonia is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.
Vaccination against pneumonia
The "pneumonia vaccine" is given to prevent one specific type of pneumonia–the pneumonia caused by the Pneumococcus (Streptococcus pneumoniae) bacterium. Unlike flu vaccinations, the pneumococcal vaccine does not need to be given each year. One dosage of the vaccine is usually sufficient, but sometimes doctors recommend a second dose of the vaccine.
