An INTERVIEW with DR. BRYAN CEPEDOZA
about FLU and PNEUMONIA VACCINES
conducted by the Managing Editor of The Bohol Tribune
(Part 3)Q. Why is it that young children are not given flu and pneumonia vaccine and the focus is on people above 60 or 65 years old?
A. Our immune system, if we are young, is efficient against bacteria and viruses and when they get infected the symptoms are mild often with fever and thus they are not prioritized.
However, it does not mean that the young people should not get vaccinated with flu or pneumonia. It is possible to give young people the vaccines.
Q. What are the benefits of the flu and pneumonia vaccines?
A. When you received the flu vaccine, and there is the flu season and you get infected with the flu, you may become asymptomatic or the symptoms are mild and get cured in a short span of time. The issue of flu infection is the superimposed bacterial infection. For example, if you are about to recover from the flu, as you recover you might be infected by bacterial pneumonia. Thus, this is the reason we need to get vaccinated. The pneumonia bacteria may infect the lungs and the brain and cause meningitis, this is why we need to get vaccinated as it can cause pulmonary pneumonia as well as meningitis.
Q. I had a friend who had cough. The family thought it was an ordinary cough. But it turned out to be pneumonia. After being admitted to the hospital, it was learned that she already had sepsis and died. Please explain what sepsis is?
A. Our immune system fights contagions like bacteria. The bacteria produce toxins known as endotoxins and may lead to an immune system reaction that is unregulated. The endotoxin will circulate in the body and may lead to sepsis and will affect the vital organs and cause a severe form of infection. In sepsis our organs will fail due to endotoxin produced by the bacteria. (To be continued)