General Science
Pneumonia
▪ Pneumonia is an acute respiratory infection of the lungs. It is also a Pneumococcal disease caused by bacteria called Streptococcus pneumoniae or pneumococcus.
▪ Cause:It doesn’t have one single cause – it can develop from either bacteria, viruses or fungi in the air.
▪ Vulnerability:Children whose immune systems are immature (i.e. newborns) or weakened – such as by undernourishment, or diseases like HIV – are more vulnerable to pneumonia.
▪ Spread:Pneumonia is contagious and can be spread through coughing or sneezing. It can also be spread through fluids, like blood during childbirth, or from contaminated surfaces.
▪ Vaccine:
✓ Pneumonia caused by bacteria is easily preventable with vaccines. 3 doses of the primary vaccine (Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV) to prevent it are recommended.
✓ A new vaccine for one of the main viral causes of pneumonia is under development.
✓ India has introduced nationwide rollout of PCV under Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP).
▪ Diseases Burden:
✓ Global: Together, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria and Pakistan account for more than half of all deaths due to pneumonia among children under 5.
✓ Annually, India witnesses an estimated 71% of pneumonia deaths and 57% of severe pneumonia cases.
