The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended expanding the use of vaccines to adults ages 50-64 to protect against pneumococcal disease – an infectious and potentially serious illness caused by bacteria.

As per the agency’s earlier recommendation for vaccination – adults over 65 and children under 5, as well as children and adults with certain conditions – were to get vaccinated. Doctors say children under the age of five and adults over the age of 65 have an increased risk of getting pneumococcal disease — which affects many different systems in your body, resulting in sinusitis, pneumonia, Mild symptoms such as blood infection or bacterial meningitis can occur – and may occur. There is danger to life.

This disease spreads through contact with secretions like saliva or mucus.

Lowering the age limit provides greater protection from disease

According to the agency’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which voted 14 to one in favor of lowering the age for adult vaccination, this would give more people a chance to be protected from the disease at an age when the risk of infection is greatly increased.

Pneumococcal vaccines from Merck and Pfizer are currently available in the US market.

“The recommendation is an important step in efforts to increase equitable access to pneumococcal conjugate vaccines and may improve vaccination rates,” Merck said in a statement. Merck offers three approved pneumococcal vaccines – including waxnuvance for individuals six weeks of age and older and Pneumovax 23 for adults older than 50 and children older than two.

Earlier this year, the US health regulator approved capvaxivMerck’s next-generation vaccine that helps generate immune responses against 21 serotypes of bacteria for adults aged 18 and older. Pfizer’s Prevnar 20, which protects against 20 serotypes, is approved for individuals older than six weeks.

What conditions does pneumococcal disease cause?

According to experts, pneumococcus causes a number of infections that can occur almost anywhere in your body. The most serious and potentially life-threatening illnesses have varying symptoms but involve the same bacteria, require immediate medical treatment, and include:

• blood infection
• Infection of the membranes of the brain and spinal cord or bacterial meningitis
• lung infection or pneumonia
• bone infection or osteomyelitis
• joint infection
• widespread swelling of tissues and organs

Pneumococcal meningitis and bacteremia result in serious disabilities such as brain damage, hearing loss, or surgical organ removal – also known as amputation.

Less serious diseases caused by pneumococcus include:

• bronchitis
• middle ear infection
• Conjunctivitis
• sinus

Signs and symptoms of pneumococcal disease

Doctors say that the symptoms of pneumococcal disease vary depending on the location and severity of the infection. Some common infections include:

• chest pain
• cough
• breathlessness
• fever and chills
• Poor appetite, poor drinking, or vomiting in infants
• light sensitivity
• rapid heart rate
• to sweat
• Death if not treated promptly

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