Pneumococcus is a bacterium found in the respiratory tract. Many people carry the bacteria in their nose or throat without becoming ill. However, pneumococcus can sometimes cause infections, like pneumonia, for instance.
There are many types of pneumococcus. About forty of them cause infections in humans. They are called ‘pneumococcal infections’.
Pneumococcal infections are common in Québec. They occur throughout the year, but especially in winter and spring.
Symptoms
Symptoms of pneumococcal infections and their seriousness may vary with a person’s age, health and type of infection.
The types of infections are the following:
Ear (otitis)
Sinus (sinusitis)
Pneumonia
Meningitis (infection of membranes that surround the brain)
Bacteremia (blood infection)
Onset of symptoms generally happens very quickly, meaning within 1 to 3 days following infection by the bacterium.
Pneumococcal infections can also lead to complications.
When to consult
Same-day consultation
You should consult a doctor the same day if you have one of the following symptoms:
Shortness of breath
Difficulty breathing
Pain when breathing
Immediate consultation at emergency
You should go to emergency immediately if you have one of the following symptoms:
Breathing difficulty that persists or increases suddenly
Blue lips
Difficulty moving
Severely stiff neck
Drowsiness, difficulty staying awake
Confusion, disorientation
Convulsions (the body stiffens and muscles contract in a jerky and involuntary manner)
No urination for 12 hours
If your child has fever and appears very sick, has no energy and refuses to play, take them to see a doctor quickly.
If you require immediate assistance to get to emergency, dial 9-1-1.
Treatment
Most pneumococcal infections can be treated with antibiotics.
You can relieve symptoms of pneumococcal infections through the following measures:
If you have fever, your body naturally loses a lot of fluids, especially through sweating. Therefore, it is important to drink a lot and often.
Drink a lot of fluids: water, milk, juice, broth
Avoid beverages with alcohol or caffeine, such as coffee, tea and energy drinks. Given these drinks make you urinate, they increase loss of fluids
Use medication according to instructions
To relieve fever and pain, you can take over-the-counter medicine such as acetaminophen, Tylenol® for example, and ibuprophen, Advil® for example.
Avoid taking medication that includes identical ingredients at the same time. For instance, do not take Tylenol® and Tylenol® Sinus together because both medicines contain acetaminophen.
Take your antibiotics as prescribed. Do not stop treatment before the end.
Children and adolescents
If your child is over 3 months old and has fever, you can give them acetaminophen, Tylenol® for example. Make sure you follow instructions supplied with the product and according to your child’s weight.
Avoid giving children and adolescents acetylsalicylic acid such as aspirin. In children and adolescents, such medication can lead to a serious illness of the brain and liver called ‘Reye's syndrome’.
Complications
Some pneumococcal infections can leave permanent scars including:
Deafness (becoming deaf)
Permanent brain damage
Death
Transmission
Pneumococcus is spread through airborne droplets from an infected person’s nose and throat.
Protection and prevention
Vaccination
Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself against pneumococcal infections and their complications.
The vaccines used vary according to a person’s age and health condition.
According to the recommended immunization schedule, children can be given the vaccine as of 2 months of age and older people as of 65 years of age. Vaccination is also recommended for some people who are at greater risk of complications. If necessary, consult a health professional.
Procedure for getting vaccinated
The pneumococcus vaccine can be administered at any moment in the year.