Daily Contact With Young Children Increases Pneumonia Risk In Elderly Adults: Study

Researchers suggest elderly adults should be vaccinated for pneumococcal infection even in communities where children receive high rates of vaccination. (Credit: Image by Freepik)

Daily contact with young children increases the risk of acquiring pneumonia-causing bacteria in elderly adults, a recent study has revealed.

Streptococcus pneumonia or pneumococcus is a bacteria associated with ear and sinus infections and severe diseases such as pneumonia, sepsis, and meningitis. Around two million deaths worldwide every year are associated with pneumococcal infections, primarily affecting children below the age of two and the elderly.