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Pneumonia Treatment And Prevention

Streptococcus pneumoniae, or pneumococcus, is the most common cause of bacterial pneumonia in adults, and it can be prevented with vaccines.

There are two types of vaccines to build immunity to pneumonia and other forms of pneumococcal disease:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends vaccination for all adults age 50 and older. People in these groups should receive PCV20 or PCV21, or PCV15 followed by PPSV23.

Anyone ages 19 to 49 with certain risk factors that increase their odds of infection complications should talk with their healthcare providers about whether they would benefit from vaccination as well; the type of vaccine and number of doses may vary.

Adults at increased risk include smokers, people with conditions that weaken the immune system (such as HIV or AIDS), and patients with chronic illnesses or ongoing health challenges (such as heart, liver, kidney, or lung disease; diabetes; or alcohol use disorder).

For all babies and children under age 5, the CDC recommends a four-dose PCV series (PCV15 or PCV20). The CDC notes that some children ages 2 to 18 may need additional doses.

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Pneumonia vaccine side effects are generally mild and can include pain at the site of the shot, fatigue, fever, or muscle aches.

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Besides these vaccinations, other steps to protect against pneumonia include:

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Get vaccinated to prevent other infections that may lead to pneumonia, including flu, COVID-19, and (if you are eligible) RSV. Children younger than 5 should get the Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b) vaccine.

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Wash hands often.

Quit smoking.

Keep your immune system strong by eating well and exercising.

Take certain precautions if you have trouble swallowing, since food or saliva that accidentally enters the lungs can lead to bacterial pneumonia. Try eating smaller meals of thickened food and sleeping with your head elevated.

If you do get sick, take steps to prevent spreading pneumonia.

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Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or your sleeve when coughing or sneezing.

Clean and disinfect surfaces that get touched a lot.

Stay home when you're ill, and keep your child home if they're sick.

Unusual Surge Of "walking Pneumonia" Reported In Young Kids This Year

Infections with the illness known as "walking pneumonia" or "white lung pneumonia" have been spreading at unusually high levels in young kids, emergency room data suggests, a year after a surge of such cases filled hospitals overseas.

The worst rates of the illness, caused by the bacteria Mycoplasma pneumoniae, are in young children ages 2 to 4 years old, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention figures shared with CBS News.

"Since late spring, the number of infections caused by M. Pneumoniae has been increasing, especially among young children," the CDC said in a statement Friday.

Close to 7% of emergency room visits with pneumonia in this age group were diagnosed with the bacteria through late September. This has "dropped slightly" from a peak of more than 10% in August, a CDC spokesperson said.

"The increase in 2–4-year-olds is notable because these infections have historically been thought to affect school-age more than younger children," the agency said.

The figures come from the CDC's National Syndromic Surveillance Program, which crunches numbers from emergency rooms. It echoes an increase reported by testing company BioFire Diagnostics, tallying trends that are now more than 14 times higher than this time last year.

A CDC spokesperson said that levels are the worst right now across two regions in the middle of the country, from Texas through Iowa.

Multiple other states have also now warned doctors about surges from Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

Wisconsin's health department said Friday that it had received reports of increasing "unusual pneumonia cases" in kids and young adults from doctors around the state.

Health officials in Illinois announced Thursday that they had tracked "several clusters reported in schools throughout the state," alongside increases in data from testing labs.

Several hospitals have also reported a spike in kids with pneumonia, blamed on Mycoplasma pneumoniae alongside other germs like rhinovirus and enterovirus. Those bugs are often causes of the common cold but can also cause more serious diseases.

Trends of rhinovirus and enterovirus reported to the CDC have accelerated in recent weeks, nearing peaks seen during previous fall-time waves.

"It's likely to worsen with pollen and mold counts rising, colder weather keeping everyone inside and the holidays bringing people together," Virginia-based health system VCU Health said last week.

Not all hospitals have seen an unusual surge. In Pennsylvania, where the state's health department recently warned that cases of Mycoplasma pneumoniae were high, multiple health systems told CBS News they had not seen a spike yet.

Dr. Marian Michaels, professor of pediatrics and surgery at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, said it was "too early to tell for sure" if this year's wave would amount to an unusual increase in hospitalized patients.

Michaels was the co-author of a report published earlier this year by the CDC which found kids sickened with the bacteria increased last year but remained lower than before COVID-19.

"The numbers are perhaps increasing a bit but are still below the pre-pandemic levels for now," Michaels said in an email.

Vaccination Protects Children, Adults Vs Pneumonia

Pneumonia is the third leading cause of death across all ages and is the most common cause of death among children under five years of age in the Philippines. In 2023, pneumonia was the fifth leading cause of death in the country. From 2009-2023, moderate and high-risk pneumonia in both adults and children have been among the top 10 medical cases reimbursed by the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).

People at risk for pneumonia also include adults over the age of 65; people with preexisting health problems such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or diabetes; smokers; and people with a weakened immune system due to a chronic condition, chemotherapy, or an organ transplant.

Older people have a higher risk of getting pneumonia, and are more likely to die from it if they develop the infection, warns the American Thoracic Society (ATS), an international professional and scientific society that focuses on respiratory and critical care medicine. Pneumonia can develop in patients already in the hospital for other reasons. Hospital-acquired pneumonia has a higher mortality rate than any other hospital-acquired infection, the ATS said.

Pneumonia is an acute respiratory infection of the lungs that is most commonly caused by viruses or bacteria. Depending on the severity of the infection, signs and symptoms of pneumonia may include cough; shortness of breath; fever, sweating and shaking chills; fatigue; chest pain; nausea, vomiting or diarrhea; and confusion, especially in older adults.

The lungs are made up of small sacs called alveoli, which fill with air when a healthy person breathes. When an individual has pneumonia, the alveoli are filled with pus and fluid, which makes breathing painful and limits oxygen intake. These infections are generally spread by direct contact with infected people, the World Health Organization explains.

Pneumococcal pneumonia is the most common type of bacterial pneumonia. It is caused by bacteria that live in the upper respiratory tract, and it can spread to others through coughing or close contact. Symptoms include high fever; excessive sweating and shaking chills; coughing; and difficulty breathing, shortness of breath and chest pain.

If pneumonia is caused by bacteria, a doctor may prescribe antibiotics. Most cases of pneumonia require oral antibiotics. Rest and plenty of hydration can also help people recover quicker. Hospitalization is recommended for severe cases of pneumonia.

The World Health Organization (WHO) offers the following tips to reduce the risk of pneumonia for people of all ages.

Get vaccinated. Pneumonia puts a heavy economic burden on patients and their families, in terms of out-of-pocket payments for medical consultations, medicines, and hospitalization, as well as lost productivity due to sick leaves at work and disruption of school attendance. Getting the right vaccines against pneumonia can prevent or minimize the socioeconomic impact of the disease.

Even with treatment, some people with pneumonia, especially high-risk individuals, may experience life-threatening complications, including bacteria in the bloodstream, difficulty breathing, fluid accumulation around the lungs, and lung abscess. These complications often require costly treatments and prolonged hospitalization. Studies show that pneumococcal vaccination, especially of high-risk individuals, is associated with fewer hospitalizations for pneumonia, fewer deaths, and direct medical care cost savings.

Influenza or the flu is a common cause of pneumonia, especially among younger children, the elderly, pregnant women, or those with certain chronic health conditions. Pneumonia as a flu complication tends to be more severe and potentially fatal, according to the American Lung Association. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends annual flu vaccination to help prevent pneumonia.

The Philippine College of Chest Physicians (PCCP) recommends vaccination as the best protection against pneumonia. Pneumococcal vaccines prevent severe disease, hospitalization, and death due to pneumonia, stressed the country's acknowledged authority in pulmonary medicine.

Immunization against Hib, pneumococcus, measles, influenza, and whooping cough (pertussis) is the most effective way to prevent pneumonia, the WHO said. These vaccines are provided for free by the Department of Health (DoH) through the National Immunization Program (NIP). The CDC recommends adults 19-64 with chronic lung disease, chronic heart disease, and diabetes, and all adults 65 or older talk to a doctor about pneumococcal vaccination.

Meanwhile, it is important to wash your hands frequently, especially when caring for others who are sick or after blowing your nose, to keep germs from spreading. There is also a need to address environmental factors. Reduce indoor air pollution by providing affordable clean indoor stoves and for individuals to stop smoking.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is also crucial. A healthy diet, rest, and getting regular exercise will help you stay well. Adequate nutrition is also key to a strong immune system.

As the National Health Service in the UK stated, "vaccination gives the best protection against pneumococcal infections."

Teodoro B. Padilla is the executive director of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines which represents the biopharmaceutical medicines and vaccines industry in the country. Its members are in the forefront of research and development efforts for COVID-19 and other diseases that affect Filipinos.

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