CDC: H1N1 deaths tied to presence of other bacterial infections

A new report from the CDC concludes that many people who have died of the H1N1 flu in the U.S. also had other bacterial infections that contributed to their deaths.

According to the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, those who died of swine flu often had co-infections with bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae or pneumococcus. To draw this conclusion, researchers analyzed specimens taken from 77 fatal cases of H1N1. Bacterial infections such as Streptococcus pneumonia were found in about one-third of the cases analyzed.

To address this issue, the agency is recommending that all children ages 5 and younger receive pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, and that the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) be administered to all people ages 2 to 64 with high-risk conditions, plus all people ages 65 and above.

To learn more about the CDC's conclusions:
- read this UPI piece

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