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June 04, 2003

 

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

 

“Effectiveness of Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine in Older Adults”

New England Journal of Medicine (www.nejm.org) (05/01/03) Vol. 348, No. 18, P. 1747; Jackson, Lisa A.; Neuzil, Kathleen M.; Yu, Onchee

 

U.S. hospitals see between 350,000 and 620,000 cases of seniors with community-acquired pneumonia annually.  A recent study looked at how well pneumonia was combated by a pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine. Hospitalization for pneumonia was experienced by 2,436 patients. Community-acquired pneumonia was diagnosed in 1,600 patients, while only 61 had pneumococcal bacteremia.  The rate of the pneumococccal bacteremia was 44 percent lower when a person was vaccinated.  Yet the likelihood of community-acquired pneumonia was higher if the subject was vaccinated; however, the disease chance was lessened if an influenza vaccine was utilized.

 

 

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