Pneumococcal Infections

Also called: Streptococcus pneumoniae infections

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Basics

Summary
Symptoms
Diagnosis and Tests
Prevention and Risk Factors
Treatments and Therapies

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Specifics

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Summary

Pneumococci are a type of streptococcus bacteria. The bacteria spread through contact with people who are ill or by healthy people who carry the bacteria in the back of their nose. Pneumococcal infections can be mild or severe. The most common types of infections are:

How the diagnosis is made depends upon where the infection is. Your doctor will do a physical exam and ask about your medical history. Possible tests may include blood, imaging, or lab tests. Treatment is with antibiotics. Vaccines can prevent pneumococcal infections. There are two vaccines. One is for infants and young children. The other is for people at high risk, including those who are over 65 years old, have chronic illnesses or weak immune systems, smoke, have asthma, or live in long-term care facilities.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Symptoms

Pneumococcal Disease: Symptoms and Complications (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

Bacteria Culture Test (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
Pneumococcal Disease: Diagnosis and Treatment (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
Tests for Lung Disease (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) Also in Spanish

Prevention and Risk Factors

Ask the Experts: Pneumococcal (Immunization Action Coalition)
Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV): What You Need to Know (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF Also in Spanish
Pneumococcal Disease: Risk Factors and and How It Spreads (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine (PPSV23): What You Need to Know (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF Also in Spanish
Pneumococcus: Questions and Answers (Immunization Action Coalition) - PDF
Vaccine (Shot) for Pneumococcal Disease (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Treatments and Therapies

Antibiotics: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish

Specifics

Pneumococcal Disease: Types of Infection (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish

Statistics and Research

Fast Facts You Need to Know about Pneumococcal Disease (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish

Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov: Pneumococcal Infections (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

Find an Expert

Children

Pneumococcal Infections (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
Pneumococcal Vaccines (PCV, PPSV) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV): What You Need to Know (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF Also in Spanish
Pneumococcal meningitis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine (PPSV23): What You Need to Know (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - PDF Also in Spanish

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MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

National Institutes of Health

The primary NIH organization for research on Pneumococcal Infections is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Other Languages

Find health information in languages other than English on Pneumococcal Infections

Disclaimers

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