Adult Vaccinations: Booster Shots Aren't for Children Only

Adults think vaccinations only apply to them when they are traveling out of the country or for their yearly flu shot, but the truth is most adults need booster shots on many of the childhood immunizations they've already had. There are also a number of new vaccinations for adults available that can help to keep you healthy and save you from some very dangerous illnesses.

Many of the vaccinations you had as a child do not give you lifetime immunity from the disease. Many begin to wane after only ten years. Even if you have had the disease, such as chicken pox or whooping cough (Pertussis) you may not stay immune to it throughout your lifetime. Additionally, contracting some of these diseases at older ages is much more dangerous than when you were a child.

So, what vaccinations should you consider having? Some depend upon the last time you received one, others are made for people of a certain age. Below is a list of vaccinations to consider when talking to your doctor about updating yours.

Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine - Mumps is making a comeback and if you haven't been immunized since you were a child you will want to get this vaccination again. This is particularly important for those who received this immunization between the years of 1957-1967 as that particular version of the MMR wasn't made strong enough to last throughout your lifetime. Mumps can be very dangerous in adults; women can experience swelling of the ovaries while men can have inflammation of the testes. In rare occurrences adult mumps can cause a deadly infection of the brain called encephalitis.

Tetanus and diphtheria (Td) vaccine - You should be getting a tetanus booster every 10 years and along with that a diphtheria booster. These are available together in one vaccine. Tetanus occurs when infectious bacteria starts spreading from a dirty cut or wound. Diphtheria attacks the respiratory system and can be fatal. Both can be avoided by keeping your immunizations up to date.

Pertussis (Whooping cough) vaccine - The Center for Disease Control recommends that adults now get a booster for pertussis which was once thought of as only a childhood disease. Pertussis is a severe infection of the lungs that can cause you to be sick for several weeks and can be deadly. Nearly 8,000 adults are affected by this infection each year even though it is preventable. This vaccination is also available in a combination with the tetanus and diphtheria vaccine called the Tdap booster. If you have close contact with babies or have a weakened immune system you should get this vaccination as soon as possible.

Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine - If you are unsure about having this vaccine or illness as a child you should have a blood test to see if you are immune to chickenpox. If it is found you are not you should get this immunization. This is especially important for women who are planning to become pregnant.

Zostavax (shingles) vaccine - Shingles is a painful, blistering rash that develops in older adults when the chickenpox virus is reactivated. One in four people who had chickenpox as a child will develop shingles. The Zostavax vaccine lowers the chance of getting shingles by 50% and if shingles occurs despite the vaccination it usually develops a milder case. Adults age 60 and older who are generally healthy should consider getting this vaccination.

Pneumonia vaccine - Pneumonia is a serious and sometimes fatal infection of the lungs. Adults age 65 and older and anyone who is at high risk of developing pneumonia should get this vaccination. Those at risk are people who have diabetes, heart and lung disease, immune suppression and liver failure.

Influenza (flu) vaccine - Most adults age 50 and older along with high risk individuals should get a flu shot. High risk individuals include those with diabetes, asthma, heart and lung disease, or a weakened immune system. Others who should get this vaccine are healthcare workers, those who work with the elderly, teachers and students who live in confined places such as dormitories.

Hepatitis A & Hepatitis B vaccines - Both Hepatitis A & B attack the liver and can make you very sick for a long period of time. Hepatitis B can cause permanent damage leading to cirrhosis, liver cancer or liver failure. Hepatitis A is usually contracted by some type of fecal contamination such as a food worker not washing their hands after a bowel movement and then touching food. Hepatitis B is passed along through infected body fluids that are passed to another person through such ways as sexual contact or sharing hypodermic needles. Everyone should consider getting these vaccinations but especially healthcare workers, sexually active people who have multiple partners and intravenous drug users.

HPV (Gardasil) vaccine - The HPV vaccine has been marketed mostly to women between the ages of 13-26 but can also be beneficial to older women who are sexually active with multiple partners. The vaccine guards against the four most common viral strains associated with cervical cancer and genital warts so the vaccine can benefit women of all ages.

Always check with your physician before getting any of these vaccinations to make sure you have no underlying medical condition that prevents you from having them. Staying healthy is the key to living a long, full life and taking advantage of these important vaccinations will help you to stay as healthy as possible.