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What is the “Pneumonia Shot” and who should get it?

The “Pneumonia Shot” as it is commonly referred is a vaccine that helps protect against infection from the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae. This is one of the most common bacterias to cause Pneumonia, Bronchitis or Sinusitis.

Do you know that the guidelines recommend this vaccine for anyone with Asthma 19 years and older?  Read below for further information about this vaccine and who should receive:

Vaccination with pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV) is recommended for all people who meet any of the criteria below:

  1. Previously unvaccinated adults age 65 years and older
  2. Age 2 through 64 with any of the following conditions:
  • Chronic pulmonary disease (including athma in people age 19 years and older)
  • Cigarette smokers 19 years and older
  • Chronic cardiovascular disease
  • Immunocompromising conditions
  • Diabetes mellitus
  • Chronic kidney disease
  • Alcoholism or chronic liver disease

Primatene Mist discontinued over the counter

The FDA has ordered Primatene Mist, the only over-the-counter asthma inhaler, be taken off drugstore shelves December 31st.  Primatene Mist has CFC’s which is not environmentally safe as this can deplete the earth’s ozone layer.  Several other products with CFC’s have already been removed from the market for the same reasons.

AAAI Physicians do not endorse Primatene Mist for asthma treatment because this is no longer the standard of care for asthma and the epinephrine in this medication has harmful side effects if over used.  There are safer and more appropriate medications for asthma treatment.

We feel this will improve patient care by decreasing adverse effects from this medication.  This will also encourage patients to see their physician to discuss their symptoms and have appropriate evaluation and treatment.

Insect Sting Allergy

Insect stings commonly cause local swelling, pain, itching and redness at the site of the sting.  Many people who have an allergy to insect venom have these same symptoms but causing much larger reactions that can persist for days.  Up to 3-4% of Adults and 1% of Children in the general population have an allergy to insects that cause more serious “systemic reactions”.  Systemic reactions will not only cause large local reactions at the site of the sting but also can cause diffuse hives, trouble breathing and possibly life threatening symptoms such as throat swelling and anaphylactic shock.  The most common insect allergies to cause these types of reactions are from Bee and Fire Ant stings.

Here at the Arizona Asthma and Allergy Institute we have accurate testing to evaluate those at risk for these potentially serious reactions to insect stings.  Patients with a known history of serious reactions to Bees or Fire Ants can qualify for allergy injections which can be 98% effective in preventing a systemic reaction to future stings.  If you have any questions or want further investigation on your risk of insect allergy then our providers can help you!

Eczema and Food Allergy

The onset of eczema frequently coincides with introduction of certain foods into the infant’s diet.  Common food allergies and possible triggers to eczema in children include egg, milk, peanut, soy and wheat.  Overall, about 20-30% of children with eczema have food allergies to one or more of these foods.

If your child has eczema there may be an underlying food allergy contributing.  We can further evaluate this to see if foods are a trigger to your child’s eczema and avoiding the food allergen(s) can have a significant benefit in improving eczema.

Immune Deficiency

Many people have an immune deficiency that goes undiagnosed as they are not regularly following up with their physician or their physician is not doing the appropriate immunology work up to make the diagnosis.

Our Physicians are not only Board Certified in Asthma and Allergy but are also Board Certified in Immunology.  We are experts in evaluating the immune system.  If you or a family member have any of the signs listed below you may have a weak immune system that should be further evaluated and treated.

Important signs that may indicate an immune deficiency include:
• Recurrent, unusual or difficult to treat infections
• Poor growth or loss of weight
• Recurrent pneumonia, ear infections or sinusitis
• Multiple courses of antibiotics or IV antibiotics necessary to clear infections
• Recurrent deep abscesses of the organs or skin
• A family history of immune deficiency
• Swollen lymph glands or an enlarged spleen
• Autoimmune disease

Penicillin Allergy

Studies have shown that 90% of people that claim to have a Penicillin allergy were either never allergic or lost their allergy.  If you have been labeled allergic to Penicillin it would be important for your long term medical care to have this evaluated with skin testing.  Please schedule an appointment with us for Penicillin skin testing and we can help you!

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Dr. Casper on Arizona Midday

Dr. Morgan

Welcome to Arizona Asthma and Allergy Inst. Podcast service. Our Podcasts are now available for direct subscription at the link below and on iTunes.
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AAAI would like to present our first Podcast by Dr. Willam Morgan, Episode 1, on Asthma. You can download the .mp3 directly at the link below.