Just because your not a baby doesn’t mean you don’t need to protect yourself from contracting dangerous diseases (i.e., influenza, shingles, pneumonia, hepatitis C, and meningitis, etc.). While many of us get the required childhood immunizations as small infants, we may need to be vaccinated again as protection against these diseases can diminish as we age, leaving you at risk. As adults, particularly seniors or those with weakened immunity, it’s vital to ensure the following vaccinations are up-to-date:

1. Pneumococcal vaccine
Pneumococcal disease describes a severe infection that may result in sepsis (an infection of the bloodstream), meningitis, and pneumonia, which together result in tens of thousands of U.S. deaths annually. Pneumonia alone strikes roughly a million American adults yearly with 7% of hospitalizations resulting in fatalities. Most at risk are U.S. adults aged 65 plus, patients with compromised immunity (i.e., HIV, AIDs). Pneumonia vaccines are available in the U.S. in pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV)13 and pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV)23. Untreated pneumonia can lead to fatal health issues such as paralysis, seizures, blindness, hearing loss, meningitis, and cardiovascular issues.

2. Hepatitis C
While there is no vaccinations to protect you against Hepatitis C, like there is against hep B and hep A, there is an injectable cure for hepatitis C infection (or HCV) for those who require it. Most at risk of contracting the hep C infection are those who got an organ transplant or blood transfusion before the year 1992; anyone exposed to unclean medical, dental, or tattoo equipment; and intravenous drug users. While about 25% of individuals are able to fight off the hep C virus on their own, the rest may require treatment with antiviral medications (i.e., Viekira Pak, Olysio, etc.) in order to rid the body of the virus for good. HCV antiviral drugs i.e., Olysio, Harvoni, Viekira Pak, and Sovaldi).

3. Meningitis vaccine
The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases estimates roughly one out of every 10 patients with meningococcal disease will die. Meningococcal disease is the bacteria that causes meningitis, a disease that causes severe and often fatal inflammation of the lining around the brain and spinal cord. In the U.S. there are two vaccines available (i.e., serogroup B vaccination and the quadrivalent vaccine). Those most at risk of contracting meningococcal infection are anyone exposed, including international travellers, military, lab workers, and students. Patients without a spleen are also considered at risk.

4. Seasonal influenza
Believe it or not, seasonal influenza is responsible for almost 50,000 deaths each year in the U.S. This is why the CDC recommends yearly seasonal influenza vaccination, or flu shot, for every individual over 6-months old who isn’t allergic to eggs, a patient with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, or suffered an allergic reaction to a flu shot in the past. The influenza vaccine is different each and every year, which is why it’s imperative to get one prior to the particular influenza outbreak in your area each year (usually early to late fall). Most at risk of flu associated complications are individuals over the age of 65, young children, and those patients with a diagnosed immuno-suppressing condition (i.e., HIV, diabetes, asthma, and cardiovascular disease). A flu shot is also almost always required for those who work closely with children and the elderly.