Pneumococcal bacteria can lead to fairly minor diseases such as ear and sinus infections. But it can also lead to serious infections such as pneumonia, life-threatening infection of the blood (including septicaemia), and meningitis. In some cases, pneumococcal meningitis can develop from more minor forms of the infection such as earache.

Pneumococcal bacteria (Streptococcus pneumoniae) are the second biggest cause of bacterial meningitis in the UK and Ireland.

The Department of Health recommends that people in certain at-risk groups should be vaccinated against pneumococcal infection. These groups are as follows:

• People aged 65 years or over
• People who have no spleen (i.e. have had a Splenectomy)
• People with severe dysfunction of the spleen e.g. homozygous sickle cell disease
• People with weakened Immune Systems e.g. HIV infection at any stage, Chronic Leukaemia
• People with Chronic Respiratory (Lung) Disease e.g. Asthma, Emphysema, Bronchiectasis
• People with Chronic Heart Problems e.g. Ischaemic Heart Disease (Angina, Heart Attack), Congestive Cardiac Failure
• People with Chronic Liver Disease e.g. Cirrhosis
• People with Diabetes
• People with Renal (Kidney) Disease
• People with Cochlear Implants

Pneumococcal vaccination is free for those people in the above-mentioned at-risk groups.

Patients who are recommended to have pneumococcal vaccination should ring the surgery to make an appointment with the Practice Nurse.

For more information about pneumococcal disease and pneumococcal vaccination, visit the Meningitis Research Foundation web site (click on image below).