If they are unvaccinated, children below five years old are at risk of invasive pneumococcal disease and its complications. — Photos: 123rf.com
WHEN it comes to pneumococcal disease, there’s a lot of misinformation floating around. Here, we address some of the more common myths about the disease.
Myth: Pneumococcal disease is not common.
Fact: Pneumococcus is a common cause of pneumonia among children. In the US, it is the most common cause of invasive bacterial infection.
Myth: Pneumococcal disease is not serious.
Fact: The World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that pneumococcal disease was responsible for 5% of global child mortality in 2012. So, do not take this disease lightly as it can cause life-threatening complications and even death.
Myth: Pneumococcal disease only causes pneumonia.
Fact: Pneumonia (lung infection) is just one of the possible infections caused by pneumococcal disease. Other possible infections include bacteraemia (blood infection), sinusitis (sinus infection), and meningitis (infection of the lining of the brain/spinal cord) that can be serious, leading to long-term complications such as brain damage, hearing loss, seizures and otitis media (middle ear infection).
Myth: If you’re a carrier of the bacteria that causes pneumococcal disease, you won’t get sick from it.
Fact: This is only true if one’s immune system is capable of keeping the bacteria from flourishing. However, the moment your immune system fails to keep the bacteria under control, it will start multiplying. This means being a carrier is similar to being a ticking time bomb, but worse is the fact that carriers increase the risk of other people around them getting the disease.
Myth: Pneumococcal disease affects everyone equally.
Fact: Anyone can get pneumococcal disease but people at higher risk include children under five years old, teens and adults with comorbidities, adults above 60 years old, and anyone with a compromised immune system (including immune-deficient patients). These patients also have a higher risk of complications or death. Therefore, it is crucial to protect these groups of people and this can be achieved safely through immunisation.
Myth: There is only one strain of bacteria that causes pneumococcal disease.
Fact: There are around 100 known strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae. At present, available vaccines help protect against the most common strains of the bacteria.
Myth: Covid-19 and pneumococcal pneumonia are the same.
Fact: The former is a viral infection while the latter is a bacterial infection. Although both may cause pneumonia, there is a difference, for instance in terms of how pneumonia develops and progresses. Viral pneumonia usually occurs gradually but can be severe or fatal, while bacterial pneumonia usually occurs rapidly and may be aggressive or hard to treat.
Pneumonia, or lung infection is just one of the possible infections caused by pneumococcal disease.
Take preventive action
As parents, don’t overlook the importance of vaccination, so ensure that your child is vaccinated against pneumococcal disease.
Previously, a child born before Jan 1, 2020 was not eligible for pneumococcal vaccination under the National Immunisation Programme (NIP). However, in May, The Health Ministry announced that it was expanding its free pneumococcal vaccination programme to children born between 2018 and 2019.
Health Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa said the expansion, which began from June 1, 2023 until May 31, 2024, was undertaken because unvaccinated children below five years old are at risk of invasive pneumococcal disease and exposed to complications. The discharge rates for pneumococcal disease for those under five years old at public hospitals are also high.
In addition to young children, people with chronic health conditions (heart disease and diabetes, for instance) and the elderly (60 years and above) also face greater risk of complications if infected by either Covid-19 or pneumococcal disease.
So should any of your family members fall under this category, vaccination against pneumococcal disease is highly recommended to keep them healthy and protected against serious effects of the disease.
Dr Husna Musa is a paediatrician and lecturer while Datuk Dr Musa Mohd Nordin is a consultant paediatrician and neonatologist. This story also appear on Positive Parenting, an education initiative by the Malaysian Paediatric Association (MPA). For more articles and expert advice, check out mypositiveparenting.org
