Pneumococcal Pneumonia Health Article

Prognosis

Simple, uncomplicated cases of pneumococcal pneumonia will begin to respond to antibiotics in 48 to 72 hours. Full recovery from pneumonia, however, is greatly dependent on the age and overall health of the individual. Normally, healthy and younger patients can recover in only a few days, while the elderly or otherwise weakened individuals may not recover for several weeks. Complications may develop which give a poorer prognosis. Even when promptly and properly diagnosed, such weakened patients may die of their pneumonia.

Vaccination

Recently, a vaccination has become available for the prevention of pneumococcal pneumonia. This vaccination is generally recommended for people with a high likelihood of developing pneumococcal infection or for those in whom a serious complication of infection is likely to develop. This would include persons over the age of 65, as well as those with:

• chronic pulmonary disease
• advanced cardiovascular disease
• diabetes mellitus
• alcoholism
• cirrhosis
• chronic kidney disease
• spleen dysfunction, or removal of spleen
• iimmunosuppression (cancer, organ transplant or AIDS)
• sickle cell anemia

Unfortunately, those people for whom the vaccination is most recommended are also those who are least likely to respond favorably to a vaccination. Therefore, the overall effectiveness of this vaccine remains questionable.

Antibiotics

The use of oral penicillin to prevent infection may be recommended for some patients at high risk, such as children with sickle cell disease and those with a spleen removed. This treatment, however, must be weighed with the increased likelihood of developing penicillin-resistant infections.

BOOKS

The Burton Goldberg Group. Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide. Fife, WA: Future Medicine Publishing, 1995.

Musher, Daniel M. "Streptococcus Pneumoniae." In Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases, ed. G. L. Mandell, J.E. Bennett, and R. Dolin. New York: Churchill Livingston, 1995.

PERIODICALS

Obaro, S. K., M. A. Monteil, and D. C. Henderson. "The Pneumococcal Problem." British Medical Journal 312 (15 June 1996): 1521-1526.

"Pneumonia Prevention: It's Worth a Shot." Executive Health's Good Health Report 34 (Dec. 1997): 1-2.

ORGANIZATIONS

American Lung Association. 1740 Broadway, New York, NY 10019. (800) 586-4872. <http://www.lungusa.org>.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 1600 Clifton Rd., NE, Atlanta, GA 30333. (800) 311-3435, (404) 639-3311. <http://www.cdc.gov>.

Cindy L. A. Jones, PhD

KEY TERMS

Acetaminophen—A drug used for pain relief as well as to decrease fever. A common trade name for the drug is Tylenol.

Aspirin—A commonly used drug for pain relief and to decrease fever.

Bronchi—Two main branches of the trachea that go into the lungs. This then further divides into the bronchioles and alveoli.

Sputum—A substance that comes up from the throat when coughing or clearing the throat. It is important since it contains materials from the lungs.