\u201cPneumococcal pneumonia is something that people believe older individuals get, but it can happen to anyone,\u201d says Dr. Amit \u201cBobby\u201d Mahajan, national medical spokesperson for the ALA<\/a>. \u201cI\u2019ve seen patients in their 50s who were fighting through pneumonia for a couple weeks, then they come into the ICU and are really sick.\u201d<\/p>\n The ALA defines pneumococcal pneumonia as a serious bacterial lung disease that is spread through coughing or close contact. \u201cBacterial pneumonia can settle deep into the lungs,\u201d says Mahajan. \u201cWhen it does, people get fevers and chills, can cough pretty violently, and sometimes even cough up greenish-brown mucus. Most of the time, people with an intact immune system who are healthy can fight off that pneumonia. Unfortunately, for some people, even with antibiotics, it can progress further.\u201d<\/p>\n Children, adults over age 65, and individuals with chronic health conditions and weakened immune systems are most susceptible to pneumococcal pneumonia, but the ALA reports that it\u2019s also a threat to healthy people ages 50 and up because the immune system naturally weakens with age.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cTypically after 50, we see something called immunosenescence,\u201d says Mahajan. \u201cThis is caused by reduction in immune cell production, increased chronic inflammation, and slower response to infections. This can make people more likely to become infected and heal slower.\u201d<\/p>\n An estimated 150,000 people in the U.S. are hospitalized each year for pneumococcal pneumonia<\/a>, and about 1 in 20 dies as a result. Complications from pneumococcal disease may include respiratory failure, sepsis, and meningitis.\u00a0<\/p>\n Because many symptoms of pneumococcal pneumonia are similar to a cold or the flu, it can be tricky to know when to seek treatment.\u00a0<\/p>\n Stock image of a doctor administering a vaccine to a 50+ patientCredit: getty<\/p>\n \u201cPeople will say, \u2018Oh, I\u2019m young and healthy, I\u2019ll push through it,\u2019 and most of the time that\u2019s the case,\u201d says Mahajan. \u201cHealthy, non-immunocompromised individuals, typically after 24 to 48 hours, their fever will break and they\u2019ll start feeling a little bit better. If, after 48 to 72 hours they\u2019re not turning the corner, we then recommend contacting your primary care physician to get checked out. Sometimes a viral infection can evolve into a bacterial infection on top of that, and that requires antibiotics.\u201d<\/p>\n Mahajan warns that if your fever and cough are accompanied by more acute, life-threatening symptoms like shortness of breath, chest pains, rigors or shaking, or changes in mental status, you should go straight to the ER.<\/p>\n There are precautions that healthy adults in their 50s can take to protect themselves from the dangers of pneumococcal pneumonia, primarily making sure their immune system is effective and as strong as possible. Here are some ways to do that, according to the Mayo Clinic<\/a>:<\/p>\n Eat well: A diet rich in fruits and vegetables provides antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients like beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, and polyphenols that promote healthy immune responses.<\/p>\n Get plenty of sleep: You may have noticed that when you don\u2019t sleep well, you get sick more frequently. Getting adequate rest actually increases the number of immune cells circulating in your body. The National Sleep foundation<\/a> recommends 7 to 9 hours of nightly sleep for adults ages 18 to 64.<\/p>\n![\"Stock](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/0ae4b184-05ea-4f26-b0cf-df950d9f606c.jpg\"\/)
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