Preventing the spread of infection

You can help to prevent the spread of a pneumococcal infection by taking some simple hygiene precautions. These include:

• washing your hands regularly and thoroughly, particularly after touching your mouth and nose and before handling food
• coughing and sneezing into a tissue, throwing it away immediately and washing your hands
• not sharing cups or kitchen utensils with others

Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV)

All children under the age of two should routinely receive the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) as part of their childhood immunisation schedule.

The first dose of PCV is usually given when a child is two to four months old, with a second dose given two months later.

The PCV is entirely safe, although about one child in 10 will experience some redness and swelling at the site of the injection and symptoms of a mild fever. However, these side effects will pass quickly.

You should speak to your GP or health visitor if you are not sure whether your child has received their PCV.

Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV)

If you are in one of the high-risk groups for developing a pneumococcal infection (see Pneumococcal infections - causes), your GP surgery will contact you to arrange a vaccination. If they do not, contact your GP to arrange an appointment.

Healthy adults usually only need one dose of PPV. However, those with weakened immune systems or spleen disorders may need additional booster doses. Your GP will be able to advise you about this.

After you have had the PPV you may experience some pain and inflammation at the site of the injection. This should only last for one to three days. Less commonly, some people report the symptoms of a mild fever. Again, this should pass quickly.

See the Health A-Z topic about Pneumococcal vaccination for more information and advice.

Alcohol

There is an increasing body of evidence to suggest that people who drink an excessive amount of alcohol are at greater risk of developing invasive pneumococcal infections.

Alcohol is known to suppress the immune system, the body's natural defence system that will attempt to prevent an invasive pneumococcal infection. Therefore, the best way to lower your risk of developing a pneumococcal infection is to ensure that you stick to the recommended daily amounts of alcohol.

For men, the recommended daily amount of alcohol consumption is three to four units and for women it is two to three units. A unit of alcohol is equal to about half a pint of normal-strength lager, a small glass of wine or a pub measure (25ml) of spirits.

Speak to your GP if you are finding it difficult to moderate your alcohol consumption. Counselling and medication are available for people with an alcohol misuse problem.

See the Health A-Z topic about Alcohol misuse and the Live Well section about Alcohol for more information and advice.

Smoking

Smoking is the single biggest risk factor for developing an invasive pneumococcal infection in otherwise healthy adults.

Research has found that almost 60% of previously healthy people who develop an invasive pneumococcal infection are smokers.

It is not known exactly why smoking makes a person more vulnerable to an invasive pneumococcal infection. One theory is that the chemicals contained in tobacco smoke disrupt the normal workings of the immune system and make it less efficient.

As well as reducing your risk of developing an invasive pneumococcal infection, giving up smoking will help reduce your risk of developing other serious health conditions, such as cancer, heart disease and stroke.

If you want to give up smoking a good first step is to see your GP. They will be able to provide help and advice about quitting and can also refer you to an NHS Stop Smoking support service. These services offer the most effective support for people who want to give up smoking. Studies show you are four times more likely to give up smoking successfully if you do it with the help of the NHS.

For more information, call the NHS Stop Smoking helpline on 0800 022 4332 (England only). You can also find further information and advice in the Health A-Z topic about Smoking - quitting and the Live Well section called Stop smoking.