Annual flu vaccines are a great way to prevent the flu. There are other vaccines that are recommended for adults to maintain health and prevent disease. These include:

Tetanus-Diphtheria (TD) Vaccine
Children get a series of five vaccines in early childhood to protect them against the diseases of diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis. As an adult, it is important to maintain your immunity against tetanus and diphtheria. Pertussis is usually no longer a risk after five years of age.

Tetanus, also known as "lockjaw"," is a bacterial infection that can be fatal. It can occur when a wound is contaminated. The tetanus bacteria enters the body through cuts and thrives only in the absence of oxygen. Diphtheria is also an infectious disease. Diphtheria remains a problem today because many people are inadequately immunized.

All adults should have a booster to protect against diphtheria and tetanus every 10 years. If it has been five years since your last TD vaccine, and you have a wound or burn that is very dirty or contaminated, you should get a TD booster.

Pneumococcal Vaccine
Pneumococcal (new-mo-caw-cul) vaccine can protect people from getting pneumococcal diseases. Often pneumococcal diseases can cause infection in the lungs (pneumonia) or in the bloodstream or brain. It can cause death.

Pneumococcal vaccine is recommended for: People over 65 years old. All adults of any age who have special types of health problems, including:

• heart disease
• lung disease
• diabetes
• kidney failure
• AIDS
• other diseases or conditions that lower the body's resistance to infections, such as Hodgkin's disease, leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma or absence of the spleen.

Revaccination or booster doses are not needed for most people. Revaccination is only done for people who have had their first dose of vaccine more than six years ago and are at the highest risk for pneumococcal disease.

At your next office visit, please check with your provider if you believe you should have either of these adult immunizations.