| One of the most common and dangerous | | | | In the 20th century, death from pneumococcal |
| complications of bird or avian flu is pneumonia. | | | | bacterium was severely reduced in developed |
| Yet there is a way to give yourself protection from | | | | countries due to penicillin and other antibiotics. |
| bacterial pneumonia. | | | | However, many strains of the pneumococcal |
| By itself, this will go a long way toward reducing your | | | | bacterium and other bacteria that can cause |
| risk of dying from bird flu, if there's an influenza | | | | pneumonia are now resistant to antibiotics. |
| pandemic and you catch the H5N1 virus. | | | | There're over 200,000 cases of pneumococcal |
| We don't have exact figures for causes of death of | | | | pneumonia a year in the United States, and it causes |
| victims of the current bird flu, but we know that | | | | about 40,000 deaths, so the mortality rate is 20%. |
| pneumonia and related bacterial diseases were listed | | | | However, about half of the people who catch |
| as immediate cause of death on close to half of U.S. | | | | pneumonia caused by methicillin-resistant |
| Spanish flu victims in 1918. | | | | Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria, while on a |
| What is pneumonia—your lung's alveoli become | | | | ventilator, will die. |
| inflamed and flooded with fluid. The alveoli are the tiny | | | | The vaccine for pneumococcal pneumonia is called |
| sacs that transfer oxygen from the air you breathe | | | | Pneumovax. It contains material from the 23 most |
| into your blood stream. | | | | common strains of pneumococci bacteria. (No living |
| Therefore, pneumonia attacks your body's ability to get | | | | bacteria.) It's effective in about 80% of adults. It's a |
| oxygen into your blood so that it can be used. Since | | | | 23-valent polysaccharide vaccine. |
| without oxygen we die, pneumonia is a potentially | | | | For children, there's Prevnar or PCV7—a |
| life-threatening problem. | | | | 7-valent conjugate vaccine. |
| Pneumonia is also a frequent complication of ordinary | | | | Ordinarily, Pneumovax is recommended for adults |
| seasonal influenza, and together, they're the seventh | | | | most at risk of pneumonia. Those over 50, with AIDS, |
| most common cause of death in the United States. | | | | with an organ transplant, undergoing cancer treatment |
| That makes them the most common infectious | | | | or other immune-compromised. Also, people with |
| disease cause of the death in the U.S. | | | | Alzheimer's, cystic fibrosis, emphysema, |
| There're over 30 causes of pneumonia, but the most | | | | alcoholism—and people who smoke tobacco. |
| common types of pneumonia are caused by bacteria | | | | People who are in the hospital for any reason are also |
| and viruses. These are also the most common type of | | | | at higher risk of catching pneumonia—a sad |
| pneumonias that take advantage of victims weakened | | | | comment on our modern system. |
| by bird flu. | | | | Remember, however, that vaccines do NOT |
| First, the bad news—there is no protection | | | | themselves provide you with any protection. Basically, |
| against viral pneumonia. It can be treated somewhat | | | | they train your immune system how to fight a |
| with some antiviral drugs, but those will be in short | | | | particular enemy. |
| supply during a bird flu pandemic. Ordinarily, about half | | | | They're only as effective as your immune system is |
| of all cases are viral pneumonia. But it is actually less | | | | strong. |
| severe than bacterial pneumonia. Whether that would | | | | If your immune system is weak and undernourished, it |
| remain true for bird flu patients, we just don't | | | | can't fight disease no matter how well trained. |
| know—and hope we won't ever find out. | | | | Therefore, you should not rely on vaccines. You should |
| The good news is that there is a vaccine which will | | | | do your part to keep your immune system strong. Eat |
| train your body's immune system to fight the common | | | | healthy foods, get regular moderate exercise, take |
| types of bacterial pneumonia. | | | | nutritional supplements, reduce stress and get plenty of |
| Most cases of bacterial pneumonia are caused by the | | | | sleep. |
| pneumococcal bacterium (also called Streptoccoccus | | | | So if you're at all concerned about the risk of a bird flu |
| pneumoniae). In children, it also causes sinusitis and ear | | | | pandemic, and especially if you're in one of the high risk |
| infections. When it infects the lungs, it's pneumococcal | | | | groups, ask your doctor about Pneumovax |
| pneumonia. | | | | now—before it's too late. |