Less than half of Irish people have heard of pneumococcal disease, despite the fact that more than 400,000 older people are at risk from the potentially fatal condition, a new survey has shown.

Pneumococcal disease is caused by a common bacterium, Streptococcus pneumoniae, which can attack different parts of the body. If the pneumococcal bacteria infect the lungs, they can cause pneumonia. When they invade the blood stream, they can cause septicaemia (sepsis) and when they invade the brain, they can cause meningitis.

Some 200 people die of the disease every winter.

Pneumococcal disease is easily spread by close contact, coughing and sneezing, however a vaccine is available and recommended for infants, those over the age of 65 and those with certain conditions, such as chronic heart disease, chronic lung disease, chronic renal (kidney) disease and diabetes.

Now, five patient organisations have come together to support a new awareness campaign, ‘Seven Reasons You Should Know Pneumo'. The organisations are Age Action, Diabetes Ireland, the Asthma Society of Ireland, the Irish Patients' Association and the Meningitis Research Foundation.

According to a survey of over 1,000 people, the results of which were released to coincide with this new campaign, currently in Ireland, just 46% of people have heard of pneumococcal disease and most have never been vaccinated.

Furthermore, just 16% of people over the age of 65 - one of the main ‘at risk' groups - have been vaccinated, which suggests that more than 400,000 people in this age group could be at risk from developing pneumonia, septicaemia (sepsis) or meningitis.

"The fact that only 16% of over 65's have been vaccinated against pneumococcal disease is quite worrying. Pneumo can have devastating consequences so we would urge all older people who have not received the vaccine to ask their GPs about it," commented Eamon Timmins of Age Action.

Meanwhile according to Dr Andrew Murphy, professor of general practice at NUI Galway, who is behind this campaign, pneumococcal disease can have ‘very serious ramifications'.

"Of those who become infected and who develop invasive disease, one in three will develop pneumonia, one in three will develop meningitis and one in 10 will die. People who are at risk should ask their GP about the vaccine," he said.

He also pointed out that smokers are at risk from the disease, but research indicates that just two in five smokers are even aware of it.

The pneumococcal vaccine is available free of charge to those for whom it is recommended - i.e. infants, over 65s and those with certain conditions. Anyone else can pay for it privately. Your GP can administer it.

For more information on this new awareness campaign, click here

For more information on childhood vaccinations, see our unique Child Immunisation Tracker here