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PneumoniaSeasonal Cold and Flu Preventions TipsFending off the Flu, by Allen S. Josephs, M.D. Seasonal Flu Guide, by Camilla Parham, M.D. Flu Shot Vaccine ContaminationFollow the controversy of flu shot vaccine safety
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What are the Symptoms of Pneumonia?By the National Institute of Health Pneumococcal pneumonia may begin suddenly, with a severe shaking chill usually followed by
There may be other Pneumonia symptoms as well
In an otherwise healthy adult, pneumococcal pneumonia usually involves one or more parts of the lungs, known as lobes. Thus, it is sometimes called lobar pneumonia. The remainder of the respiratory system is comparatively not affected. In contrast, infants, young children, and elderly people more commonly develop a relatively mild infection in other parts of the lungs, such as around the air vessels (bronchi) causing bronchopneumonia. What is Pneumonia?Pneumonia is a lung disease that can be caused by a variety of viruses, bacteria, and sometimes fungi. The U.S. Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate nearly 90,000 people in the United States died from one of several kinds of pneumonia in 1999. In the United States, pneumonia is the fifth leading cause of death [Natl Vital Stat Report 47 (25), 10/5/1999]. Rates of infection are three-times higher in African Americans than in whites and are 5- to 10-times higher in Native-American adults and 10-times higher in Native-American children [J Infect Dis;170:368-76, 1994].On an international scale, acute respiratory infection ranks as the third most frequent cause of death among children less than 5 years old and was responsible for approximately 3.5 million deaths in 1998. What is Pneumococcal Pneumonia?Pneumococcal pneumonia is an infection in the lungs caused by bacteria called Streptococcus pneumoniae. S. pneumoniae, also called pneumococcus, can infect the upper respiratory tracts of adults and children and can spread to the blood, lungs, middle ear, or nervous system. CDC estimates S. pneumoniae causes 40,000 deaths and 500,000 cases of pneumonia annually in the United States. The yearly incidence of pneumococcal pneumonia is twice as high in African Americans than in whites and is responsible for 3,000 cases of meningitis (inflammation of spinal cord membranes), 50,000 cases of bacteremia (bacteria in the blood), and 7 million cases of otitis media (inner ear infection) [JAMA; 285:1729-1735, 2001].According to the World Health Organization, S. pneumoniae is the leading cause of severe pneumonia worldwide in children younger than 5 years old, causing more than 1 million deaths in children each year [Pneumococcal Vaccines: WHO Position Paper: Wkly Epidemiol Rec, Vol 74, 177-183, 1999]. Pneumococcal pneumonia primarily causes illness in children younger than 2 years old and adults 65 years of age or older. The elderly are especially vulnerable to getting seriously ill and dying from this disease. In addition, people with certain medical conditions such as chronic heart, lung, or liver diseases or sickle cell anemia are also at increased risk for getting pneumococcal pneumonia as are people with HIV infection or AIDS or people who have had organ transplants and are taking medicines that lower their resistance to infection. How is Pneumococcus Spread?The noses and throats of up to 70 percent of healthy people contain pneumococcus at any given time. It is spread from person to person by coughing, sneezing, or close contact. Researchers don't know why it suddenly invades the lungs and the bloodstream to cause disease.How is Pneumococcal Pneumonia Diagnosed?A doctor or other health care provider diagnoses pneumonia based on
Because a number of bacteria, viruses, and other infectious agents can cause pneumonia, if you have any of the symptoms, you should get diagnosed early and start taking the right medicine if you have any of the symptoms. The presence of S. pneumoniae in the blood, saliva, or lung fluid helps lead to a diagnosis of pneumococcal pneumonia. How is Pneumococcal Pneumonia Treated?Health care providers usually prescribe antibiotics, such as penicillin, to treat this bacterial disease. The symptoms of pneumococcal pneumonia usually subside within 12 to 36 hours after treatment has begun. Bacteria such as S. pneumoniae, however, are resisting and fighting off the powers of antibiotics to destroy them. Such antibiotic resistance is increasing worldwide because these medicines have been overused or misused. Therefore, if you are at risk of getting pneumococcal pneumonia, you should talk with your doctor about taking steps to prevent it.Can Pneumococcal Pneumonia be Prevented?The pneumococcal vaccine is the only way to prevent getting pneumococcal pneumonia. Vaccines are available for children and adults.The CDC National Immunization Program (NIP) recommends that you get immunized against pneumococcal pneumonia if you are in any of the following groups.
In February 2000, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a pneumococcal vaccine for use in toddlers and children. It is the first pneumococcal vaccine approved for children younger than 2 years old www.fda.gov CBER Annual Report FY2000 Issued:01-08-01, Posted: 03-15-01, Updated: 04-10-01]. NIP recommends that all children ages 2 to 23 months old get this vaccine. Does Pneumococcal Pneumonia Cause Complications?According to CDC, in 25 to 30 percent of people with pneumococcal pneumonia, the bacteria invade the blood stream from the lungs. This causes bacteremia, a very serious condition. Pneumococcal pneumonia also can cause other lung problems and certain heart problems.What Research is Going On?The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) supports research on more effective prevention and treatment approaches to control pneumonia and its causes. These include
The recently approved pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for children is partially the result of crucial NIAID research in the early development of the vaccine. This vaccine helps prevent pneumococcal diseases in babies and toddlers and is the latest advance in developing vaccines against common bacterial infections. This effort was led in large part by NIAID for more than 30 years. NIAID supports studies to develop improved pneumococcal conjugate vaccines for children worldwide. In one such study, NIAID researchers are working with The Gambia Government and scientists from several international research institutions to test a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in The Gambia, West Africa. Health care experts have consistently identified pneumococcus as the most common cause of bacterial pneumonia in The Gambia. In a pattern typical of many developing areas, infant and child mortality rates in The Gambia are high, acute respiratory infections are a leading cause of death, and pneumococcus is the most common cause of these infections. Where Can I Get More Information About Pneumococcal Pneumonia and Pneumococcal Vaccine?
For information on pneumococcal vaccine
NIAID is a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is an agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. NIAID supports basic and applied research to prevent, diagnose, and treat infectious and immune-mediated illnesses, including HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, illness from potential agents of bioterrorism, tuberculosis, malaria, autoimmune disorders, asthma and allergies. Prepared
by: |
Nexium, Pepcid and Prilosec can make people more susceptible to pneumoniaAssociated Press 10-27-04 -Widely used heartburn and ulcer drugs such as Nexium, Pepcid and Prilosec can make people more susceptible to pneumonia, probably because they reduce germ-killing stomach acid, Dutch researchers found in a study of more than 300,000 patients. More. Learn about alternative acid reflux treatments. Immune System
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| Rated |
Nutritional Supplements | Herbs |
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| ••• | Multiple vitamin-mineral (for elderly people) Vitamin E (for elderly people) |
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| •• | Acidophilus Beta-carotene Fish oil (omega-3 fatty acids for critically ill and post surgery patients only) Glutamine (prevention of post-exercise infection in performance athletes) Selenium (for elderly people) Thymus extracts Vitamin A Vitamin C Zinc (for elderly people) |
Ashwaghanda
Eleuthero |
| • | Beta-glucan Cordyceps DHEA Lycopene Vitamin B12 Whey protein Zinc (for non-elderly people) |
Astragalus Cat's claw Fo-ti Green tea Ligustrum Maitake Noni |
| ••• Reliable and relatively consistent scientific data showing a substantial health benefit. •• Contradictory, insufficient, or preliminary studies suggesting a health benefit or minimal health benefit. • An herb is primarily supported by traditional use, or the herb or supplement has little scientific support and/or minimal health benefit. |
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More than 200 different viruses are known to cause the common cold.
While antibiotics kill disease-causing microbes, echinacea enhances the body’s own ability to fight off cold flu and sinus infections.
Echinacea is the most widely used herbal supplement in the United States.
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Echinacea
root, leaf & flower (Echinacea purpurea) Wild Indigo root (Baptista tinctoria) Thuja leaf (Thula occidentalis) Boneset leaf flower (Eupatorium perf.) Prickly Ash bark (Zanthoxylum c.h.) |
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In a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study of 95 people, treatment with an echinacea tea preparation (Echinacea Plus®, Traditional Medicinals) early in the course of a cold or flu was significantly more effective in relieving symptoms than a placebo tea. For the 90-day study, participants reported for assignment to one of two treatment groups at the first onset of cold and flu symptoms (scratchy throat, runny nose, fever, etc.). The subjects drank 5 to 6 cups a day of echinacea or placebo tea on the first day of symptoms, reducing the dosage to 1 cup per day for the next five days. Results were assessed with a questionnaire that measured symptom relief, duration of symptoms, and time before subjects noticed a difference in symptoms. The echinacea tea was significantly more effective than placebo in all parameters measured. No side effects were reported in either group. Echinacea Plus is a proprietary blend of E. purpurea and E. angustifolia leaves, flowers, and stems, a water soluble dry extract of E. purpurea root, and flavoring herbs. Eater's Digest® (Traditional Medicinals) was selected as the placebo tea because it was not expected to have a significant effect on cold or flu symptoms at the dosages used in this study. Among other herbs, Eater's Digest contains cinnamon, ginger, and peppermint. Lindenmuth GF, Lindenmuth EB.
This article originally appeared in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 2000; 6(4): 327-334.
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