Prevention:

Wash your hands often, especially after:

• Blowing your nose
• Going to the bathroom
• Diapering

Also wash your hands before eating or preparing foods.

Don't smoke. Tobacco damages your lung's ability to ward off infection.

Vaccines may help prevent pneumonia in children, the elderly, and people with diabetes, asthma, emphysema, HIV, cancer, or other long-term conditions:

• A drug called Synagis (palivizumab) is given to some children younger than 24 months to prevent pneumonia caused by respiratory syncytial virus.
• Flu vaccine prevents pneumonia and other problems caused by the influenza virus. It must be given each year to protect against new virus strains.
• Hib vaccine prevents pneumonia in children from Haemophilus influenzae type b.
• Pneumococcal vaccine (Pneumovax, Prevnar) lowers your chances of getting pneumonia from Streptococcus pneumoniae.

If you have cancer or HIV, talk to your doctor about ways to prevent pneumonia and other infections.