Vantage Physicians Explain Adult Vaccinations

Dr. Kershisnik administers an injection to one of her patients at Vantage Physicians.
22 Shares

 

Submitted by Vantage Physicians

Dr. Kershisnik administers an injection to one of her  patients at Vantage Physicians.
Dr. Kershisnik administers an injection to one of her patients at Vantage Physicians.

With the news of measles, mumps, and influenza outbreaks we have had several phone calls about vaccinations for adults.  The need for immunizations doesn’t end when you become an adult.  Immunity from previous vaccinations can wear off, placing you at risk for evolving diseases.  Vaccines are as important to your overall health as diet and physical activity.   Adult vaccination rates remain low and this lack of protection results in more deaths each year than traffic accidents, breast cancer, and HIV/AIDS.  A vaccine-preventable disease that might make you sick for a week or two could prove deadly for your children, grandchildren, or parents if it spreads to them. When you get vaccinated, you are protecting yourself and your family. For example, adults are the most common source of pertussis (whooping cough) infection in infants, which can be fatal in infants.

Vaccine-preventable diseases are expensive.  An average influenza illness can last up to 15 days, typically with five or six missed work days.  Adults who get hepatitis A lose an average of one month of work.  In the US each year, millions of adults get sick from vaccine-preventable diseases, causing them to miss work and leaving them unable to care for those who depend on them, including their children and/or aging parents.  The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has estimated the direct health care burden of adult vaccine-preventable diseases at about $10 billion annually.

Here are the vaccines recommended for adults by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

Vaccine Protects Against Who Needs the shot? How often? Comments
Influenza Seasonal flu, transmitted by close contact with someone   infected. Everyone. The flu can make those over 65 much sicker than others. Annually, usually in early fall.  Needs 2 weeks to take effect. Wait to get it if you have a fever. The Flu kills over 36,000 every year in the US.
PCV13 (pneumonia) The 13 strains that cause about half of pneumonia infections in adults. Anyone who has not had it by age 65; those with weak immune systems. Once, followed by a PPSV23 vaccine 6 to 12 months later. You should have this vaccine if you are a smoker, have serious health problems or work around chronically ill people. Combined with Influenza is ranked as the 8th leading cause of death in the US.
PPSV23(pneumonia) 23 types of pneumonia bacteria, plus meningitis and blood infection. Everyone age 65 and older; smokers; those with asthma or diabetes. Usually just once, but a second dose 5 years later may be needed.
Tdap Tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough). Everyone.  If you did not get it at age 11 or 12, get it now. Once. Crucial for those with close contact with infants.
Td Tetanus and diphtheria. Tetanus (also known as lockjaw) is a potentially fatal disease that is caused by bacteria found in dirt, dust, soil and manure. Diphtheria is an acute bacterial disease that can lead to breathing problems, heart failure, paralysis and death. Td is a booster for tetanus and diphtheria after you have already had Tdap and are covered for pertussis. Everyone 10 years.  Anyone severely wounded or burned may need it sooner. Without treatment, 40 to 50 percent of infected persons die from diphtheria, with the highest death rates occurring in the very young and the elderly.
Zoster (shingles) Herpes Zoster, or shingles, an extremely painful condition that causes a blistering skin rash related to the chicken pox virus. Adults age 60 and older who have had the chicken pox. Once, even if you already had shingles. Do not get if you have a weakened immune system or cancer.
Hepatitis A The hepatitis B virus, which affects the liver can cause liver cancer.  The best way to protect yourself from Hepatitis is to get the vaccine. Adults that engage in certain behaviors (same-sex male intercourse and illicit injectable drug use), people with liver disease, and travelers to countries with a high incidence of Hepatitis. Two doses required, given over six to 18 months. If you work in health care you should be immunized.
Hepatitis B Three doses required, to be given according to a specific schedule.
HPV Human Papillomavirus which causes cervical, vaginal, vulvar, penile, anal, mouth, and throat cancers. Women under age 26, men under 21 unless high risk, then under 26. Three doses required, to be given according to a specific schedule. HPV is the 2nd most expensive sexually transmitted disease after HIV.
Meningococcal Vaccine Meningococcal Disease – infections of the lining of the brain and spinal cord (meningitis) and bloodstream (bacteremia or septicemia). Anyone who will travel to countries with high incidence of Meningitis. Microbiologist. College students/military who live in dorms. Anyone with an immune system disorder. Adults 55 and younger should get the conjugate vaccine which lasts a lifetime.  Adults 56 and older should get the polysaccharide vaccine which lasts 3-5 years. 1 in 10 of those who develop meningococcal disease will die.  3 in 5 survivors of meningococcal disease experience significant physical and mental disabilities.
MMR The three diseases covered by the MMR vaccine — measles, mumps, and rubella — are highly contagious. Viruses cause all three of these illnesses, and they spread through the air. They can pass from person to person through coughing, sneezing, or just breathing. Adults born after 1956 that have not been immunized or are not sure of their immunization status.  People born before 1957, if you have not have measles or mumps, get the booster shot. Once.

 

Frequently asked questions:

I got a flu shot a few years ago — and a few days later I came down with the flu. Instead of risking this again, wouldn’t I be safer just avoiding sick people?

People have different ideas of what flu is. Other kinds of viral infections can cause a flu-like illness, but it is not flu. And influenza vaccine will not protect against that.

The flu shot cannot produce a flu infection. It is dead – it contains a virus that has been killed by a chemical. So a lot of this is just coincidence — either the vaccine did not have time to work, or you got something like the flu.  But this is a very common perception, linking your flu shot to getting the flu.  The way our brains work is to have two things happen in sequence, and to conclude that the two things are connected by cause and effect. Vaccination is memorable, and the illness is memorable, and it is human nature to think one caused the other. But it is a perceptual problem rather than reality.

People with the flu can spread it to others up to about 6 feet away. Most experts think that flu viruses are spread mainly by droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze or talk. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. Less often, a person might also get flu by touching a surface or object that has flu virus on it and then touching their own mouth or nose. Most healthy adults may be able to infect other people beginning 1 day before symptoms develop and up to 5 to 7 days after becoming sick. Children may pass the virus for longer than 7 days. Symptoms start 1 to 4 days after the virus enters the body. That means that you may be able to pass on the flu to someone else before you know you are sick, as well as while you are sick. Some people can be infected with the flu virus but have no symptoms. During this time, those persons may still spread the virus to others.  Avoiding sick people will not keep you from getting the flu.

What about the FluMist inhaled vaccine? Isn’t that a live virus? Can’t that give me the flu?

FluMist is a really good option for people who are healthy and under 50 but not pregnant. It is live, but it has been modified so it only grows in a person’s nose or throat. It does not cause lung infection.  This means the virus in FluMist does not cause flu the way we think of it as a respiratory infection. It can cause a sore throat for a day or two, but not flu with cough or fever.

I was vaccinated for pneumococcal disease, but I still got pneumonia. Does that mean the vaccine didn’t work?

No, it doesn’t. Pneumonia can be caused by many other types of organisms besides the pneumococcal organism, and the vaccine doesn’t work against those other types of bacteria. Secondly, the vaccine that has been used in adults for many years protects against 23 types of pneumococcal organisms that are responsible for most infections, but there are other types not covered by the vaccine. More recently, a different type of pneumococcal vaccine (a conjugate vaccine) has been recommended for adults who are age 65 years and older or who are age 19 to 64 years but have risk factors like heart, liver, or lung disease, diabetes, or immune compromising conditions. Together, the two vaccines recommended for adults in the US will greatly reduce the risk of pneumococcal pneumonia, meningitis, and bloodstream infections.

Why should I get a Tdap? I thought whooping cough was wiped out in the USA.

Actually, high vaccination rates help keep diseases under control, but may not eliminate them. The immunity we get from whooping cough vaccines wears off over time, which is why we can get it again as adults. Whooping cough in adults may not be diagnosed because it may start very mild followed by a bad cough that people may think is just a “leftover” symptom from a cold. But adults can still pass the infection to others, even when it’s mild, so widespread vaccination is the best way to protect yourself and others.

 Is it a good idea to get the Zostavax vaccine if I’ve already had shingles and still suffer from mild post-herpetic neuralgia (a type of nerve pain that’s the most common complication of shingles)? Will the vaccine prevent future occurrences?

Yes, it’s a good idea to get the Zostavax vaccine, and the sooner the better.  If you’ve already had shingles (herpes zoster), there’s no guarantee that you won’t get it again and again. That’s why the vaccine is so important. And if you happen to get shingles again after vaccination, the episode will likely be shorter and much less troublesome.

I had the measles as a child, do I need the vaccination?

No, you do not need the MMR vaccine if you have proof you have had the measles, mumps or rubella.

Adults need vaccinations for progressive diseases and “booster” shots for diseases that they were vaccinated against as children, because their immunity may wane over time. In addition, new vaccines are being developed against old diseases, and adults can benefit from these vaccines as they become available. Vaccinations against diseases, such as pneumonia and influenza, are especially important for people at high risk, including those suffering from chronic illnesses such as heart disease, pulmonary disease, diabetes, alcoholism or chronic liver disease (cirrhosis), and for health care professionals and caregivers. Also, Americans who travel to certain foreign countries may need vaccines to protect against diseases that exist in those regions but are not prevalent in the United States.

Today’s vaccines go through rigorous review and testing for effectiveness and safety by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before they are released to the market. The safety of vaccines is tracked through a monitoring system to keep track of potential patterns of adverse side effects.  Vaccines are held to the highest standard of safety. The United States currently has the safest, most effective vaccine supply in history. Years of testing are required by law before a vaccine can be licensed. Once in use, vaccines are continually monitored for safety and effectiveness.

Vaccines are as important to your overall health as diet and physical activity.  Like eating healthy foods, exercising, and getting regular check-ups, vaccines play a fundamental role in keeping you healthy.  If you unsure about your immunization status or have further questions, please contact the office and we will be happy to help you.

 

 

 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
22 Shares