Pneumococcal infections
Pneumococcal Infections
Pneumococcal infections (pronunciation: new-mo-KOK-al in-fek-shuns) are a type of infectious disease caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae (pronunciation: strep-to-KOK-us new-MO-nee-ay), also known as the pneumococcus.
Etymology
The term "pneumococcal" is derived from the Greek words "pneumon" (lung) and "kokkos" (berry), referring to the bacterium's spherical shape and its propensity to cause lung infections.
Types of Pneumococcal Infections
Streptococcus pneumoniae can cause many types of illnesses, including pneumonia, meningitis, otitis media, and bacteremia.
- Pneumonia (pronunciation: new-MO-nee-uh) is an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs.
- Meningitis (pronunciation: men-in-JY-tis) is an inflammation of the membranes surrounding your brain and spinal cord.
- Otitis media (pronunciation: o-TY-tis ME-dee-uh) is an infection or inflammation of the middle ear.
- Bacteremia (pronunciation: bak-ter-EE-mee-uh) is the presence of bacteria in the blood.
Symptoms
Symptoms of pneumococcal infections can vary depending on the type of infection, but they often include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and chest pain.
Treatment
Treatment for pneumococcal infections typically involves antibiotics. In some cases, vaccination can prevent certain types of pneumococcal infections.
Prevention
Prevention of pneumococcal infections can be achieved through vaccination. There are two types of pneumococcal vaccines: Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) and Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23).
See Also
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