Resumen

RAZON BEHAR, Roberto; SANCHEZ INFANTE, Concepción  y  HEVIA BERNAL, Daisy. Vaccine-preventable pneumonias. Rev Cubana Pediatr [online]. 2014, vol.86, n.2. ISSN 0034-7531.

Pneumonia is an acute respiratory infection affecting the lungs. Community-acquired pneumonia is the main single cause of infant mortality worldwide. It is estimated that 1.5 million children younger than 5 years die from this cause every year, which accounted for 18 % of all deaths in this age group globally. Several infective agents, particularly virus and bacteria, cause pneumonia, being the most common Streptococcus pneumonia -leading cause of bacterial pneumonia in children-; Haemophilus influenza type b -the second cause-, and finally the respiratory syncytial virus. The infant pneumonia prevention is a fundamental element in every strategy aimed at reducing infant mortality rates. Immunization, mainly against Haemophilus influenzae type B, pneumoccoci, measles and whooping cough, is the most effective method to prevent them. Therefore, the review of and the updating on the main vaccines existing nowadays are important.

Palabras clave : community-acquired pneumonia; prevention; vaccines.

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