The Health and Economic Benefits Associated With Pneumococcal Vaccination of Elderly Persons With Chronic Lung Disease

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Abstract
STREPTOCOCCUS PNEUMONIAE is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, causing 50,000 cases of bacteremia, 500,000 cases of pneumonia, and 40,000 deaths each year in the United States.1 Vaccination is recommended as the most cost-effective means of preventing invasive disease for the elderly and others who are at increased risk for serious pneumococcal infections and their complications.1-5 Despite these recommendations, pneumococcal vaccine is underused. In the United States, more than 50% of the elderly population and other high-risk persons have not been immunized.6,7