Routine Immunizations

Pneumonia:  The pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV) protects against 23 types of pneumococcal bacteria. Most healthy adults who get the vaccine develop protection to most or all of these types within 2 to 3 weeks of getting the shot. Pneumococcal disease is a serious disease that causes much sickness and death. In fact, pneumococcal disease kills more people in the United States each year than all other vaccine preventable diseases combined. Anyone can get pneumococcal disease. However, some people are at greater risk from the disease. Pneumococcal disease can lead to serious infections of the lungs (pneumonia), the blood (bacteremia), and the covering of the brain (meningitis). About 1 out of every 20 people who get pneumococcal pneumonia dies from it, as do about 2 people out of 10 who get bacteremia and 3 people out of 10 who get meningitis. People with the special health problems mentioned above are even more likely to die from the disease. Drugs such as penicillin were once effective in treating these infections; but the disease has become more resistant to these drugs, making treatment of pneumococcal infections more difficult. This makes prevention of the disease through vaccination even more important.

Measles Mumps Rubella:  In recent years, there have been Measles outbreaks throughout most continents and this is also a routine immunization required for school attendance.  Measles virus causes rash, cough, runny nose, eye irritation, and fever. It can lead to ear infection, pneumonia, seizures (jerking and staring), brain damage, and death.

Tetanus:   Adults should have a booster shot at least once ever 5-10 years.  Tetanus is an acute disease characterized by muscle rigidity and painful spasms, often starting in the muscles of the jaw and neck. Severe tetanus can lead to respiratory failure and death. Tetanus disease is caused by a neurotoxin produced by anaerobic tetanus bacilli growing in contaminated wounds. Lesions that are considered "tetanus prone" are wounds contaminated with dirt, feces or saliva, deep wounds, burns, crush injuries or those with necrotic tissue. However, tetanus has also been associated with apparently clean superficial wounds, surgical procedures, insect bites, dental infections, chronic sores and infections, and intravenous drug use. Tetanus is a global health problem because C. tetani spores are ubiquitous. The disease occurs almost exclusively in persons who are inadequately immunized and can occur anywhere there are inadequately vaccinated persons.

Varicella:   Chickenpox (also called varicella) is a common childhood disease. Varicella, or chickenpox, is usually mild, but it can be serious, especially in young infants and adults. It causes a rash, itching, fever, and tiredness. It can lead to severe skin infection, scars, pneumonia, brain damage, or death. The chickenpox virus can be spread from person to person through the air, or by contact with fluid from chickenpox blisters. A person who has had chickenpox can get a painful rash called shingles years later. Before the varicella vaccine, about 11,000 people were hospitalized for chickenpox each year in the United States.   Most people who get chickenpox vaccine will not get chickenpox. But if someone who has been vaccinated does get chickenpox, it is usually very mild. They will have fewer spots, are less likely to have a fever, and will recover faster. All international travelers should verify they have had a varicella vaccination to reduce the risk of contracting chickenpox.

Shingles  (Shingrix):  This vaccine is recommended for anyone over 50 years old. A shingles rash usually appears on one side of the face or body and lasts from 2 to 4 weeks. Its main symptom is pain, which can be quite severe. Other symptoms of shingles can include fever, headache, chills and upset stomach. Very rarely, a shingles infection can lead to pneumonia, hearing problems, blindness, brain inflammation (encephalitis) or death. Shingles is caused by the Varicella Zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. Only someone who has had a case of chickenpox – or gotten chickenpox vaccine – can get shingles. The virus stays in your body. It can reappear many years later to cause a case of shingles. You can’t catch shingles from another person with shingles. However, a person who has never had chickenpox (or chickenpox vaccine) could get chickenpox from someone with shingles. This is not very common. Shingles is far more common in people 50 and older than in younger people. A single dose of shingles vaccine is indicated for adults 60 years of age and older. At least 1 million people a year in the United States get shingles.