From the beginning of the year to now 8,951 doses of pneumococcal vaccines or 12% of estimated human doses for the year over 65 years of age. It reported Dr. Kremena Parmakovahead of the Infectious Diseases Surveillance Department at the Ministry of Health at a seminar organized by the Bulgarian Association for Innovative Medicine.
In our country the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine is administered as a mandatory immunization from the second month after birth, but since this year there is an opportunity for free vaccination with it for the elderly over 65 years of age. Dr. Parmakova recalled that pneumococcal infections are among the major causes of morbidity and mortality in the world among persons in this age group. Also, the attendants chronic lung and cardiovascular diseases increase the risk of invasive pneumococcal disease with them from 3 to 6 times. Viral infections of the upper respiratory tract, including the flu, are a factor favoring the occurrence of pneumococcal infections, the specialist explained in his presentation.
“The application of this vaccine is important because pneumonia is one of the leading causes of mortality in this age group, and the main cause of pneumonia in it are pneumococci. What Bulgaria introduced this year is a practice in many friendly countries”, Dr. Parmakova explained to Medical News.
The vaccine is a single dose and is applied once in life throughout the yearand people with chronic lung diseases should be vaccinated as a priority diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), severe asthma, bronchiectasis with frequent exacerbations, pulmonary fibrosis of various etiology and patients with clinically evident chronic respiratory failure. Priority is also given to adults with cardiovascular diseases. “The vaccine is a one-time use because it is a conjugate vaccine and once administered, it creates long-lasting immunity. It can be applied at any time of the year and it begins to act after a few weeks, providing protection”, added Dr. Parmakova.
She identified the increase as a challenge of state-provided vaccine doses and coverage of 75% of the population aged 65 and over.
Dr. Parmakova also reported data on immunizations against influenza. By the end of 2023, they have been implemented 276,545 doses of seasonal flu vaccine out of a total of 308,000 doses provided (89.79%) in implementation of the National Program. Immunization coverage achieved of the target group is 18.66%.
Advanced age and the presence of chronic diseases are the main risk factors for the occurrence of severe complications in cases of flu in persons over 65, the specialist recalled. Mortality from seasonal flu among persons in this group significantly exceeds the total mortality from the disease in our country.
Polina Todorova
