Need a Boost?
Vaccines and booster shots aren’t just for kids, and avoiding them could be a major health risk
As far as many folks are concerned, vaccines are for kids - a series of shots endured at a young age in exchange for lollypops (not to mention protection against serious diseases).
But grownups need vaccinations, too.
"In fact, more adults die from vaccine-preventable diseases than children," says Dr. Brad Moore, associate professor of medicine and health policy, The George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates, Washington, D.C.
Childhood vaccines and boosters may lose effectiveness by the time a person turns 30. As a result, tens of thousands of adults die each year of diseases that are easily prevented by vaccination and booster shot maintenance.
"Ask your physician what vaccines you're eligible and due for," says Moore, who is involved with soccer star Mia Hamm in a national awareness campaign, "Give Your Health a Shot," sponsored by the pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline.
It is now recommended that all adults, even healthy folks without risk factors, get a seasonal influenza vaccine every fall or winter.
But though flu shot compliance is relatively high, up to 49,000 people die from influenza each year in the U.S. "Even if you never get the flu or have received flu vaccinations in the past, you need an annual update of the shot," as the flu strain is different every year, says Dr. Andrea Klemes, medical director of the national physician network, MDVIP, headquartered in Boca Raton, Fla.
Whooping cough, another vaccine-preventable disease, is at epidemic levels in California and is rising sharply elsewhere. The vaccine administered to children can wear off, so a one-time booster shot called the "Tdap" vaccine is recommended in adolescence or adulthood for renewed protection.
A tetanus (Td) booster, should be given every 10 years to prevent bacteria that enter through wounds from causing lockjaw.
Depending on age, gender and certain risk factors, the Centers for Disease Control recommends that adults, and in some cases adolescents, also be vaccinated for Hepatitis A and B; human papillomavirus (HPV); pneumonia (65 and older, and those with pulmonary disease and other serious illness); meningitis (adolescents, unvaccinated college freshmen who live in dormitories, travelers, and people exposed to the disease); and shingles (60 and older).
Especially important for world travelers, the Hepatitis A vaccine prevents against a dangerous virus contracted by ingesting contaminated food or water. The Hepatitis B vaccine is spread through contact with blood and body fluids and ultimately destroys the liver. Everyone under 18 should be vaccinated for Hepatitis B as well as all unvaccinated adults who are sexually active or who work in healthcare or emergency response professions.
Two strains of the sexually transmitted HPV virus cause about 75 percent of cervical cancer cases; two other strains cause genital warts. The vaccine Gardasil is recommended for girls and women ages 9 to 26. Another formula protects against all four strains of HPV and can be administered to males in the same age range to prevent them from contracting and spreading genital warts.
In addition the CDC's recommendations, Klemes advises adults to ask their physicians about chicken pox and MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccines. If you have not had chicken pox or are unsure, a simple blood test can detect the presence of antibodies in your system and determine whether you should be vaccinated. MMR vaccines are commonly given to children but should be updated in women planning to become pregnant and in adults who attend college or work in medical facilities. If you don't have immunity to measles, mumps or rubella (as determined by a blood test), you can get vaccinated as an adult.
Travelers heading to certain countries may require additional shots.
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