Pneumonia Vaccine

Why is this important?

The pneumococcal vaccine may help prevent or lower the risk of complications of bacterial pneumonia. It may also help prevent future infections.

Higher percentages are better.

Information About Pneumonia

Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs that makes breathing difficult. As the lungs fill with fluid, oxygen has increasing difficulty reaching the blood and a whole series of events may occur that can eventually result in death.

Pneumonia is caused by a viral or bacterial infection that fills the lungs with mucus and lowers the oxygen level in the blood.

Symptoms of pneumonia can include the following:

• Difficulty breathing
• “Wet” cough with green or bloody mucus
• Chest pain
• Fever and chills
• Fatigue

This data, based primarily on data collected by Baxter Regional Medical Center hospital from April 2007 through March 2008, was released publicly on December 18, 2008.