Pneumonia - Resources

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Because the vaccine is inactive, it is safe for pregnant women and people with immune problems. In fact, when the vaccine is given to pregnant women, it may actually protect their infants against certain respiratory infections.

Protection lasts for more than 6 years in most people, although it may wear off faster in elderly people than in younger adults. Anyone at risk for serious pneumonia should be revaccinated 5 years after the first dose, including those who were vaccinated before age 65. Later booster doses, however, are not recommended.

Preventing Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Pneumonia in Children

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A simple way to help prevent RSV infection is to wash your hands often, especially before touching your baby. It is important to make sure that other people, especially caregivers, take precautions to avoid giving RSV to your baby. The following simple steps can help protect your baby:

• Insist that others wash their hands with warm water and soap before touching your baby.
• Have others avoid contact with the baby if they have a cold or fever. It may be helpful for them to wear a mask.
• Be aware that kissing the baby can spread RSV infection.
• Try to keep young children away from your baby. RSV is very common among young children, and easily spreads from child to child.
• Do not smoke inside your house, car, or anywhere near your baby. Exposure to tobacco smoke increases the risk of RSV illness.

Prevention of RSV. Two medications have been approved for protecting high-risk children against RSV pneumonia:

• Palivizumab (Synagis) is known as a monoclonal antibody, a genetically engineered antibody that targets the RSV virus. It is given by an injection into the muscle. Early studies of motavizumab, another monoclonal antibody in development, also show that it protects against RSV.
• RSV immune globulin (RespiGam) is made up of antibodies to RSV that are taken from the blood of healthy infants. RespiGam is given as a shot.

Review Date: 04/13/2010
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).