FACT: People of any age can get measles, but those born after 1956 who have no proof of immunity are particularly at risk.

FACT: Although mumps rarely leads to death, adults are at greater risk than children of dying from the disease.

FACT: Approximately one-third of infected people do not exhibit symptoms of mumps.

FACT: As many as 12 million women of childbearing age are susceptible to rubella.

FACT: If rubella occurs during pregnancy, it can result in severe birth defects, miscarriages and stillbirths.

FACT: One out of very 10 people who gets diphtheria dies from it.

FACT: Forty to 60 cases of tetanus still occur each year, resulting in at least 10 deaths annually in the U.S.

FACT: Up to half of Americans over 50 years of age are inadequately immunized against tetanus and diphtheria.

FACT: Approximately 5%-10% of adults are susceptible to infection with the varicella virus.

FACT: Adolescents and adults who develop chickenpox are 10 times more likely than children to require hospitalization or develop pneumonia, bacterial infections and brain inflammation (encephalitis).

FACT: Each year in the United States, as many as 50,000-70,000 adults die needlessly from vaccine-preventable diseases or their complications.

FACT: Today in the United States at least 100 times as many adults as children die each year from vaccine-preventable diseases.

FACT: Influenza and pneumococcal pneumonia together are the sixth leading cause of death in the nation.

FACT: During most influenza seasons, 10%-20% of the nation's population is infected with influenza with an annual estimated cost to society during severe epidemics of $12 billion.

FACT: There are over 200,000 cases of pneumococcal pneumonia in the US each year.

FACT: Pneumococcal pneumonia accounts for 10%-25% of all pneumonias leading to hospitalization.

FACT: Hepatitis A strikes an estimated 75,000 Americans every year.

FACT: Hepatitis A is now recognized as the most common vaccine-preventable disease in travelers.

FACT: Hepatitis B virus infects over 150,000 Americans annually.

FACT: In the United States there are between 1 - 1.5 million people with chronic hepatitis B virus infections who can infect other household members and sexual contacts.

FACT: Only about 5% of adolescents and young adults have received the hepatitis B vaccine.

SOURCE:
National Coalition for Adult Immunization
4733 Bethesda Avenue
Suite 750
Bethesda, MD 20814-5228
Click here to go to the National Coalition for Adult Immunization's Web Site