What caused Pneumococcal Disease?

Pneumococcal disease is a name for any infection caused by bacteria called Streptococcus pneumoniae or pneumococcus.

Symptoms

Pneumococcal pneumonia (lung infection) is the most common serious form of pneumococcal disease.

Symptoms include:

• Fever and chills
• Cough
• Rapid breathing or difficulty breathing
• Chest pain

Older adults with pneumococcal pneumonia may experience confusion or low alertness, rather than the more common symptoms listed above.

There are vaccines to help prevent pneumococcal disease.

Pneumococcal disease is common in young children, but older adults are at greatest risk of serious illness and death. Vaccines are the best way to prevent pneumococcal disease. CDC Recommends Pneumococcal Vaccination for Young Children, Older Adults, and Certain Other People.

Read more: https://www.cdc.gov/pneumococcal/vaccination.html

PCV13 for

• All children younger than 2 years old
• People 2 years or older with certain medical conditions
• In addition, adults 65 years or older may discuss and decide, with their clinician, to receive PCV13.

Prevnar 13 Vaccine Package Price: 2,800 Baht/dose

PPSV23 for

• All adults 65 years or older
• People 2 through 64 years old with certain medical conditions
• Adults 19 through 64 years old who smoke cigarettes

Some groups may need multiple or booster doses. Talk with your or your child’s clinician about what is best for your specific situation.

Pneumovax 23 Vaccine Package Price: 1,800 Baht/dose

What is Rabies?

Rabies is a preventable viral disease most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal. The rabies virus infects the central nervous system of mammals, ultimately causing disease in the brain and death. The vast majority of rabies cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each year occur in wild animals like bats, raccoons, skunks, and foxes, although any mammal can get rabies.

Rabies is common in Asia and Africa. It is spread by the bite of any mammal infected with rabies. It can also be spread by being licked by and infected animal if there is a break in the skin. Dogs and monkeys are common causes of rabies. Rabies is fatal in 100% of cases. The symptoms of early rabies can include numbness or tingling at the bite site, headaches, fever, confusion, vomiting coma and death.

Prevention

Rabies can be prevented by avoiding contact with animals of unknown health and through vaccination.

Vaccinations can be performed in two ways:

• Pre-exposure vaccine: this is when a vaccine is given before a bite to prevent rabies. If you are bitten, you will still need to have 2 more doses of the vaccine.
• Post-exposure vaccine: this is when a vaccine is given after a bite. The vaccine is part of the treatment, along with wound care and another injection called rabies immune globulin. The sooner after a bite the vaccine is given the lower the risk of getting rabies.

If you are bitten by or exposed to a rabid animal, wash the wound well with soap and water. If you have alcohol or iodine, apply this after washing the wound. After caring for the wound, go to a good medical facility for treatment. There are different kinds of vaccines and methods of treatment. It is better to be seen at a facility that has modern vaccines.

Rabies Vaccine (Speeda) Package: 1,900 Baht/ 2 doses

About Dengue

• Dengue viruses are spread to people through the bite of an infected Aedes species (Ae. aegypti or Ae. albopictus) mosquito. These mosquitoes also spread Zika, chikungunya, and other viruses.
• Dengue is common in more than 100 countries around the world.
• Forty percent of the world’s population, about 3 billion people, live in areas with a risk of dengue. Dengue is often a leading cause of illness in areas with risk.
• Each year, up to 400 million people get infected with dengue. Approximately 100 million people get sick from infection, and 22,000 die from severe dengue.
• Dengue is caused by one of any of four related viruses: Dengue virus 1, 2, 3, and 4.  For this reason, a person can be infected with a dengue virus as many as four times in his or her lifetime.

Key Facts

• 1 in 4: About one in four people infected with dengue will get sick.
• For people who get sick with dengue, symptoms can be mild or severe.
• Severe dengue can be life-threatening within a few hours and often requires hospitalization.

Symptoms

• Mild symptoms of dengue can be confused with other illnesses that cause fever, aches and pains, or a rash.
• The most common symptom of dengue is fever with any of the following:
  • Nausea, vomiting
  • Rash
  • Aches and pains (eye pain, typically behind the eyes, muscle, joint, or bone pain)
  • Any warning sign
• Symptoms of dengue typically last 2–7 days. Most people will recover after about a week.

Treatment

• There is no specific medication to treat dengue.
• Treat the symptoms of dengue and see your healthcare provider.

If you think you have dengue

• See a healthcare provider if you develop a fever or have symptoms of dengue. Tell him or her about your travel.
• Rest as much as possible.
• Take acetaminophen (also known as paracetamol outside of the United States) to control fever and relieve pain.
• Do not take aspirin or ibuprofen!
• Drink plenty of fluids such as water or drinks with added electrolytes to stay hydrated.
• For mild symptoms, care for a sick infant, child, or family member at home

How to Prevent

• Prevent dengue by avoiding mosquito bites.
• All four dengue viruses are spread primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species (Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus) mosquito. These mosquitoes also spread chikungunyaand Zika viruses.
• The mosquitoes that spread dengue are found in most tropical and subtropical regions of the world, including many parts of the United States.
• A dengue vaccine is available for use in some parts of the world, including United States territories.

Dengue Vaccine Globally

• A vaccine to prevent dengue (Dengvaxia®) is licensed and available in some countries for people ages 9-45 years old. The World Health Organization recommends that the vaccine only be given to persons with confirmed prior dengue virus infection.

For more information: https://www.cdc.gov/dengue/

Considering to get Dengue Vaccination?