CAP death rates reduced by prior vaccination, says study

A new US study has revealed the effectiveness of vaccination against pneumococcal infection in reducing the death rate in adults admitted to hospital with community acquired pneumonia.The study was published in April 15 edition of journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

The findings, which were based on data from 62,918 adult patients with CAP between 1999 and 2003, showed that vaccinated patients were 40% - 70% less likely to die while hospitalized than unvaccinated people. In addition, vaccination reduced the median length of hospital stay by two days and was associated with a reduced risk of respiratory and kidney failure, cardiac arrest and sepsis syndrome.