Prevention
There are a number of steps you can take to
help prevent getting
pneumonia.
- Stop smoking. Smoking makes it more likely you
will get pneumonia.
- Avoid contact with people who have
respiratory tract infections, such as colds and
influenza (flu). Pneumonia may develop after these
types of infections.
- If you have not had
measles or
chickenpox or gotten vaccines against these diseases,
avoid contact with people who have these infections. Pneumonia can be a
complication of measles or chickenpox, so getting these infections can put you
at risk for getting pneumonia.
- Wash your hands often. This helps prevent the spread
of viruses and bacteria that may cause pneumonia.
Vaccinations
Vaccines to help prevent pneumonia
are available. But research shows that they might not help everyone. The
vaccine for children is called the
pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV)
(What is a PDF document?). The vaccine for older adults is called the
pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV)
(What is a PDF document?).
Some studies show
that the vaccine does not reduce the risk of pneumonia in adults. But the
vaccine can prevent some of the serious complications of pneumonia, such as
infection in the bloodstream (bacteremia) or throughout the body (septicemia),
in younger adults and those older than 55 years with a healthy immune
system.7
Experts recommend the vaccine
for people who are older than 65, for adults who smoke, and for people who have
a long-lasting (chronic) condition that increases their risk of
pneumonia.
Other vaccines can prevent common diseases in which
pneumonia may be a complication.
- Vaccination of children for measles can
prevent most cases of measles. Adults may need to be vaccinated against measles
if they have not had the disease or were not vaccinated during
childhood.
- Yearly vaccinations (shots) for influenza may prevent
you from getting the flu. Influenza often can lead to pneumonia, especially in
older adults or in people who have other long-term (chronic) medical diseases.
The influenza vaccine can be given at the same time as the pneumococcal vaccine
but in a different arm.
- Vaccination with the chickenpox vaccine
(varicella-zoster vaccine) can prevent most cases of
pneumonia caused by the virus that causes chickenpox. Consider getting a
vaccination if you are older than 13 and have not yet had chickenpox.
The mineral zinc may help reduce the risk of pneumonia
in children. Zinc can be found in certain foods (lean red meats, seafood,
beans, cereals) or added to the diet in supplements. Studies in developing
countries found that the incidence of pneumonia in children dropped when zinc
was added to the diet.8 Always talk to your doctor
before giving your child zinc supplements or any other vitamin or mineral
supplement.