Update on Adult Immunizations

Update on Adult ImmunizationsImmunizations are one of the most effective and safe ways of preventing or reducing the risk of serious illness from various infections.  Vaccinations also prevent infections from spreading from one individual to another, thus protecting the health and well-being of the general population.  One should always check with one’s primary care provider before getting a vaccine.  The CDC recommends vaccines for adults based on a variety of factors which may include age, travel destinations, sexual activity, health history, occupation, lifestyle, and previous vaccinations.  The CDC currently recommends the following immunizations:

All adults should routinely receive the following vaccines:

  1. Influenza (i.e., flu) vaccine
  2. Tdap (i.e., tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough) or Td vaccine
  3. COVID-19 vaccine

Special Situations:

  1. Diabetes mellitus (Type 1 & 2), heart disease, lung disease [i.e., asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)]:   pneumococcal vaccine (see details below)
  2. Liver disease:  hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and pneumococcal vaccines
  3. End-stage kidney disease:  hepatitis B and pneumococcal vaccines
  4. Weakened immune system excluding HIV infection (i.e., cancer, patients on immunosuppressive medications):  Hib [i.e., Haemophilus influenzae type b for individuals with a complement deficiency and for those who have received a hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT, or a bone marrow transplant)], pneumococcal, meningococcal (both MenACWY and MenB for individuals with a complement deficiency), and shingles vaccines
  5. HIV infection:  Vaccine recommendations may differ based on CD4 count. hepatitis A, hepatitis B, meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenACWY), pneumococcal, and shingles.  [If the CD4 count is 200 or greater:   In addition to the vaccines listed above, one may also need the chickenpox vaccine (recommended for all adults born in 1980 or later) and the MMR vaccine (recommended for all adults born in 1957 or later)].
  6. Asplenia (i.e., individuals without a spleen):  Hib (i.e., Haemophilus influenzae type b), meningococcal (both MenACWY and MenB), and pneumococcal vaccines
  7. Pregnancy:  Tdap (between 27 and 36 weeks of pregnancy), hepatitis B, influenza, and Covid-19 vaccines.  Pregnant women should only receive a vaccination if first approved by their Ob/Gyn physician.

Additional Vaccines:

  1. Chickenpox vaccine:  All adults born in 1980 or later
  2. Hepatitis B vaccine:  All adults up to 59 years of age and ages 60 and over with some known risk factors
  3. HPV (i.e., human papilloma virus) vaccine:  All adults until 26 years of age.  It is also recommended for selected adults with risk factors from the age of 27 to 45
  4. MMR vaccine:  All adults born in 1957 or later
  5. Shingles vaccine:  All adults 50 years of age and older
  6. RSV (i.e., respiratory syncytial virus):  All adults ages 75 and older and ages 60 to 74 with lung and/or heart disease

Pneumococcal Diseases:

  • Caused by a bacteria known as Streptococcus pneumoniae
  • Mild infections:  Ear and sinus infections
  • Serious infections:  Pneumonia (lung), bacteremia (bloodstream), meningitis (brain and/or spinal cord)

There are 2 types of pneumococcal vaccines:

  1. Conjugate vaccine (PCV15, PCV20, or PCV21):  For adults 65 years of age or older and younger than 65 years of age with an increased risk
  2. Polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23):  For those who received PCV 15 before

How do you know if your immunizations are up to date?

In order to get the information about the immunizations you have already had, talk to your parents, if possible.  Ask them if they have records of your immunizations that you received when you were a child.  You can also check with your primary care provider and/or pediatrician’s office to see if they have your immunization records on file.

In some circumstances, you may need to check with healthcare organizations where you received care when you were younger.  It may be helpful to check with your schools, employers, or military facility who required immunizations.  You can also contact your state health department to see if it has a registry on file that includes adult immunizations.

If you cannot find your records, your primary care provider or immunization clinic may be able to do bloodwork on you in order to see if you are immune to certain diseases that vaccines can prevent.  You may in fact need to get some vaccines again, depending on the results of the bloodwork.

The board certified allergists at Black & Kletz Allergy have 3 convenient office locations in the Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland metropolitan area and are very experienced in the field of immunizations/vaccinations.  Black & Kletz Allergy treat both adults and children and have offices in Washington, DC, McLean, VA (Tysons Corner, VA), and Manassas, VA.  We offer on-site parking at each location and the Washington, DC and McLean, VA offices are Metro accessible.  There is a free shuttle that runs between the McLean, VA office and the Spring Hill metro station on the silver line.  Please call our office to make an appointment or alternatively, you can click Request an Appointment and we will respond within 24 hours by the next business day.  Black & Kletz Allergy has been serving the Washington, DC metropolitan area for more than 5 decades and we pride ourselves in providing excellent allergy, asthma, and immunology care in a highly professional and pleasant setting.

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