Pneumonia is a potentially deadly disease that kills millions each year, including an estimated 1.1 million children across the globe. World Pneumonia Day, held each year on November 12, is an effort to change that. The day has been created to raise awareness of the disease as well as raise funds to help pneumonia prevention efforts in the developing world, where almost 99% of pneumonia deaths take place.

Part of what makes World Pneumonia Day unique and important is its focus on not just pneumonia but on other emerging respiratory diseases as well. For example, Enterovirus EV-D68 is a virus that can be life threatening that was discovered earlier this year. The CDC hopes that efforts like World Pneumonia Day can raise money to help in the development of a vaccine or cure for new respiratory diseases like this one to prevent further spread.

Unlike EV-D68, there are vaccines, preventive measures, and medicines designed to help prevent and treat pneumonia throughout the world. According to the World Health Organization, antibiotics like amoxicillin can be used in the treatment of pneumonia patients and cost less than $0.50 for each treatment course. There are also vaccines against pneumonia, as well as vaccines for pertussis, measles and Hib which are the leading causes of pneumonia, especially among children in the developing world.

The groups behind World Pneumonia Day believe that with an increase in vaccine coverage in the developing world, almost 3 million lives can be saved and more than 52 million cases prevented. But, they also hope to do more than simply vaccinate. For them, the mission is three fold.

The sponsors of World Pneumonia Day hope to: raise awareness about pneumonia, the world’s leading killer of children under the age of five; promote interventions to protect against, prevent and treat pneumonia; and generate action to combat pneumonia.

The Global Coalition against Child Pneumonia is the leading partner in this effort and helps provide leadership to the other 140 plus NGOs, academic institutions, governmental agencies and foundations that have given their support to this day of awareness.

Pneumonia itself is carried in two forms, bacterial and viral. Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common cause of bacterial pneumonia in children. Adults and children that spend excessive time in biomass heated areas (wood or dung), live in crowded homes, or are frequently around smokers have the highest chances of contracting the disease. The most common symptoms are coughing, fever, shaking chills and shortness of breath.

For more information on World Pneumonia Day visit this website, and for additional information on pneumonia and a list of locations at which you can receive the pneumonia vaccine, please visit the Passport Health website. We also invite you to share how you would like to help the fight against pneumonia below in our comments section.

Throughout Asia, Japanese Encephalitis (JE) is a dangerous viral disease. Spread by mosquitoes, the virus is usually asymptomatic, but, for about 1 in 250, it can develop into a more acute illness. Symptoms include fever, headache and other flu like indicators, but, if allowed to progress into an acute state, it can result in muscle wasting, stroke-like symptoms, seizures, and, for 20-30% of acute cases, even death can result.

Unlike malaria, another tropical disease, there is a JE vaccine that can help any traveler to the endemic regions feel safe while enjoying his or her stay.

The JE vaccine available in North America is designed for those individuals that may be traveling to endemic zones during peak season (generally May to October), long-term trips, or for extensive outdoor activity where potential for exposure is higher. The Centers for Disease Control do not recommend the vaccine to short term (less than one month) travelers who will stay primarily within urban areas.

Just last year, the World Health Organization approved the use of the vaccine for children allowing anyone who might need the vaccine, and would be capable of receiving it, to have its protection.

If a traveler to Asia does need immunization, Japanese encephalitis requires two doses given 28 days apart. However, it is suggested that if an individual will be staying long term and will not be able to receive both doses before leaving that the traveler receive at least one dose prior to departure and make arrangements to have the other in-country.

Though vaccination is the best option when dealing with a disease like JE, some other measures are also suggested, especially for those individuals for whom vaccination is not recommended:

• Whenever possible, wear long sleeve shirts and long pants to avoid mosquito bites. Where this is not possible due to climate or activity, be sure to use repellant.
  

• Use insect repellents with DEET to ward off mosquitos. A concentration of at least 30% will be effective for 5-6 hours. Much like sunscreen, any contact with water, including excessive sweating, will require re-application.
  

• Other repellants like citronella candles and permethrin can be used to ward off insects for longer periods of time.
  

• Using mosquito nets where appropriate is suggested in JE endemic regions.

Be sure to consult with a Passport Health Travel Specialist or your healthcare provider before receiving a Japanese Encephalitis vaccination.

What are your thoughts on JE? What precautions have you found to be most effective when dealing with mosquito-borne illnesses? Comment below with your thoughts!

A new report from the University of Michigan Risk Science Center claims that the main reason we do not vaccinate is because we are familiar with the disease.

Professor Brian Zikmund-Fisher uses the example of chicken pox to support his claim. He notes how the chicken pox vaccine has been around for nearly 15 years, yet varicella vaccine compliance numbers trail far behind those for the vaccine for MMR. His reasoning is quite simple. We sometimes don’t see the need to vaccinate because we are familiar with the disease.

Continuing with his example of chicken pox, it is estimated that more than 99% of people over the age of 40 have had chicken pox. That is practically everyone. And yet, many of these people have not vaccinated their children against chicken pox. The anti-vaccine movement may have something to do with this statistic, but it is likely that familiarity plays a role too.

Professor Zikmund-Fisher points out how, for many, chicken pox was practically a ‘rite of childhood,’ uncomfortable though it may have been. Having the chicken pox was not ‘that’ bad.

It’s the same basic logic that many people use when deciding to forgo an annual flu vaccination.

“I didn’t get a shot last year. Yes, I got sick, but the flu wasn’t that bad. Why should I get vaccinated now?”

“I can survive the flu. I have before. I don’t need a shot.”

And yet, a Bloomberg View article points out the dangers of this mentality.

Shingles is a resurgence of the chicken pox virus in the body. It attacks the nerves, and, while generally painful, it rarely leads to more serious issues. However, for a portion of the population, it can lead to post herpetic neuralgia, a painful form of nerve damage that can last for a few months or even the rest of the individual’s life.

Interestingly, if 100 people are not vaccinated for shingles, 30 will contract the disease, and, of those 30, about 5 will get post herpetic neuralgia. Compare that to 100 vaccinated individuals; only 15 of these people will end up suffering from shingles, and only 1.5 people will have post herpetic neuralgia. The infection rates drop in half, and the incidence of serious complications decreases markedly with vaccination.

It is estimated that only about 20% of individuals over 60 years old (the group that is eligible for the shingles vaccine) have received it. Professor Zikmund-Fisher uses himself as an example; his parents had chicken pox, he’s had chicken pox, it wasn’t too bad, so he didn’t really see a need for the shingles vaccine. But, he reminds us that vaccination is very necessary.

When dealing with any disease, (and varicella and herpes zoster are no exceptions!) it is crucial to endeavor to avoid complications, and the vaccines for both diseases do just this while saving money too. Indeed, the medications to help treat shingles can easily cost more than $300 with insurance!

The best way to prevent these costly bills and stay healthy is to be prepared and vaccinate as soon as possible. Even a few days delay can make a huge difference as some vaccines can take more than a week to become fully effective in the body.

Don’t be familiar with a virus. Just because it ‘wasn’t that bad’ doesn’t mean vaccinating isn’t important.

For more information on this and other vaccine related topics, please contact our Passport Health immunology specialists either through our website or by calling 1-888-499-PASS (7277).

The flu can be a dangerous disease no matter what stage of life you are in, but for people 65 years of age and above, it can be deadly.

It is estimated that 41% of adults over 65 have diabetes and that an additional 45% have at least one other chronic condition (excluding diabetes) that will affect them for the rest of their lives. These diseases and afflictions surely make life more difficult, but they can also decrease the body’s ability to fight infections like influenza. These individuals, and especially those with diabetes, have a high risk for developing complications from the flu virus like pneumonia.

While hand washing and other standard preventative measures are always useful, the best option for maximum prevention for these older individuals according to the Centers for Disease Control and the National Council on Aging is to receive an annual flu vaccination.

Influenza and pneumonia when combined are the seventh leading cause of death in older adults in the United States. However, both of these diseases can be easily prevented with the help of healthy habits and routine vaccination. Indeed, preventing these diseases is so important that a specialized flu vaccine has been developed for adults over 65 so that they can receive optimal protection and remain healthy during what could otherwise be one of the most dangerous times of the year.

For adults 65 years old and older, the CDC also suggests getting vaccinated as soon as possible in order to help prevent the spread of the virus and in order to have full immunity by the time flu season hits its stride, as the average flu shot takes about two weeks to become fully effective.

Nearly 44,500 hospitalizations were averted last year alone though over-65 vaccinations. This age group accounts for more than half of hospitalizations and 90% of flu-related deaths, making vaccination even more important.

Don’t delay! If you or a loved one are over age 65, get more information on vaccinations and schedule a flu shot appointment by contacting a Passport Health flu specialist via our website or by calling 1-888-499-PASS (7277).

Scientists are suggesting a radical idea to end rabies throughout the world; although it might seem crazy, this idea may well work. Wildlife veterinarian Felix Lankester, in a commentary published in Science, has said that the best way to combat the deadly disease might just be to vaccinate the world’s dog population.

The plan seems a little farfetched on the surface. It’s estimated that India alone has as many as 30 million street dogs, and according to estimates, as many as 70% would need to be vaccinated in order to reduce rabies cases to near extinct levels. But, Lankester has started an interesting child-based program that has been highly effective.

He and his team have traveled around the rural areas of Tanzania vaccinating dogs. They start around dawn with the goal of attracting as many children as possible. Generally, in these areas, street dogs are as much pets as anything else, and they will follow the children around. As interest picks up throughout the day, the clinical team ends up vaccinating around 1,000 dogs per day.

Since Lankester started the program, rabies fatalities in northeastern Tanzania have dropped from around 50 each year to nearly zero. Similar programs have been just as effective in other parts of the world, with cases in North and South America dropping to less than 20 last year.

While not a perfect system, Lankester’s idea has serious merit. The vast majority of rabies cases come from rabid dogs, and just a small percentage are caused by squirrels or bats that have contracted the disease. As was mentioned in a previous post, vaccinating humans against the disease isn’t the most feasible or cost effective option, but treating dogs directly may well be.

The average vaccination for a canine costs about $3, while rabies treatment in humans can cost as much as $50 per case in regions like Southeast Asia. Ultimately, funding will determine how well this program works. With limited funds, it will be very difficult to hit the 70% benchmark in some areas, but the World Health Organization goal of eliminating rabies in Africa and Asia by 2020 might help get some additional funds to this project.

Even a slight reduction in cases will have a significant impact, as nearly 70,000 cases of the virus occur each year.

What do you think the best way to combat rabies is? Tell us in a comment to this post!