Pneumococcal vaccine benefits elderly

Pneumococcus – sometimes known as the old man’s friend as it often leads to pneumonia which carries off elderly people is dropping in incidence amongst older people.

A US study has looked at what’s happened to the pattern of infections due to the pneumococcus germ. Not only does it cause pneumococcus, it can also cause meningitis and septicaemia – a dangerous blood infection.

Pneumococcal vaccine for children has been available for about five years, and in the United States not only kids have benefited from its efficacy.

The rates of serious pneumococcal disease in older adults have fallen significantly over this time – mostly in otherwise healthy people. Those who have other problems like HIV haven’t benefited as much.

The reason for this drop is almost certainly due to the fact that the vaccine stops children carrying the germ as well as developing illness so there’s less pneumococcal disease in the community for people to catch.