
How to Protect Yourself from Pneumonia: Expert Advice

In Russia, the incidence of influenza, acute respiratory viral infections, COVID-19 and pneumonia is rapidly growing[1], [2]. The overall incidence rate of influenza and other acute respiratory viral infections among the population in week 46 of 2024 was 61.2 per 10,000 population[1]. Outbreaks of community-acquired pneumonia were recorded in 16 regions of the country[3]. How to prevent severe complications of influenza, acute respiratory viral infections and pneumonia was discussed by experts at the III All-Russian multimedia conference “Best practices in approaches to the development of national immunization programs.”
Community-acquired pneumonia remains one of the leading causes of hospitalization in adults[4] and a common cause of death in children under 5 years of age[5]. They are most severe not only in children, but also in the elderly, as well as in the presence of concomitant diseases[4]. Timely vaccination against pneumococcal and influenza infections helps to alleviate the course of respiratory infections and prevent complications, including pneumonia.
Today, there is a lot of talk about a healthy lifestyle, maintaining a normal weight, fighting mental disorders and a sedentary lifestyle. However, it is important to remember that a long, healthy, full and successful life is simply impossible without the inclusion of immunoprophylaxis as a method of protection against infectious diseases. Both children and adults need to take care of such protection, emphasized at the conference Leila Seymurovna Namazova-Baranova, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Professor, MD, Head of the Department of Faculty Pediatrics at the Institute of Maternal and Child Health of Pirogov University, Chief Pediatric specialist in Preventive Medicine of the Russian Ministry of Health, President of the Union of Pediatricians of Russia.
Pneumonia can be caused by viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Pneumococcus is the most common cause of bacterial pneumonia in children[5]. In Russia, vaccination against pneumococcal infection has been included in the National Immunization Schedule for 10 years. During this period, it was possible to achieve a reduction in infant mortality[6].
Vaccination can protect a child not only from infectious diseases, but indirectly from many other diseases that can develop as a result of using antibiotics at an early age. Leila Seymurovna Namazova-Baranova noted that, according to research, the use of antibacterial drugs by the mother during pregnancy, as well as their use in the first two years of life, when immunity is formed, is fraught with an increased risk of developing allergies, atopic dermatitis, bronchial asthma, as well as excess weight gain, the onset of autoimmune diseases[7].
Children’s lives can be saved through immunization. For example, the conjugate vaccine Prevenar® 13 can be administered to children from 6 weeks of age[8]. Not only children but also adults, especially the elderly, need to be vaccinated[9]. Pneumococcal vaccination coverage in persons over 65 years is still much lower than that of the child population, which is also due to a lack of information about the need for vaccinations.
The pneumococcal vaccine is indicated for people over 65 years of age, as well as adults suffering from chronic non-communicable diseases. However, it is especially important for comorbid patients, including those diagnosed with ischemic heart disease, hypertension, as well as COPD, diabetes mellitus or chronic kidney disease, said at the conference Lyubov Yuryevna Drozdova, PhD, Vice President of the Russian Society of Preventive Medicine in the field of Medical Prevention, Head of the Outpatient Therapy Laboratory of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “National Medical Research Center for therapy and Preventive Medicine” of the Ministry of Health of Russia, Chief specialist in Preventive Medicine of the Ministry of Health of Russia.
Having suffered from pneumonia has a negative impact on health, and its unpleasant consequences can be long-term. Timely vaccination — regardless of age — helps prevent the negative impact of complications of infection on health, reduce morbidity and mortality, and prolong healthy and comfortable life.
1 WEEKLY NATIONAL INFLUENZA AND ARI BULLETIN. https://www.influenza.spb.ru/system/epidemic_situation/laboratory_diagnostics/. Access date 21.11.2024
2 Rospotrebnadzor. https://www.rospotrebnadzor.ru/about/info/news/news_details.php?ELEMENT_ID=28794. Access date 22.11.2024
3 Outbreaks of community-acquired pneumonia have been recorded in Russia. RBC https://www.rbc.ru/life/news/6712326c9a79471e41bc1762. Access date 21.11.2024
4 About World Pneumonia Day. Rospotrebnadzor. https://www.rospotrebnadzor.ru/about/info/news/news_details.php?ELEMENT_ID=23315. Access date 21.11.2024
5 Pneumonia in children World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/ru/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/pneumonia. Access date 21.11.2024
6 Briko N.I., Korshunov V.A., Lobzin Yu.V., Namazova-Baranova L.S., Rudakova A.V., Simonova E.G. Ten-year experience of using 13-valent conjugate polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccine in the Russian Federation. Epidemiology and Preventive Vaccination. 2023;22(4):106-139. https://doi.org/10.31631/2073-3046-2023-22-4-106-139.
7 Aversa Z, Atkinson EJ, Schafer MJ, Theiler RN, Rocca WA, Blaser MJ, LeBrasseur NK. Association of Infant Antibiotic Exposure With Childhood Health Outcomes. Mayo Clin Proc. 2021 Jan;96(1):66-77. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2020.07.019. Epub 2020 Nov 16. PMID: 33208243; PMCID: PMC7796951.
8 PREVENAR®13. Information about the drug. https://www.pfizer.ru/products/allproducts/prevenar-13. Access date 21.11.2024
9 Community-acquired pneumonia in adults. Clinical guidelines of the Ministry of Health of Russia. https://cr.minzdrav.gov.ru/schema/654_1. Access date 22.11.2024
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