Higher Risk for Pneumococcal Disease in IBD Patients

Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist, Dr. William Tremaine discusses a recent study published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology, that aimed to determine the risk of pneumococcal disease in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), compared with the general population, and how IBD medications may affect this risk, or whether the risk varies before or after IBD diagnosis.

Researchers from Copenhagen, Denmark found that IBD patients had a significantly higher risk for pneumococcal disease compared with controls overall. Dr. Tremaine highlights the importance of this study, especially in terms of disease prevention, and recommendations on routine pneumococcal vaccination.

Read the full study online here.

For more information about IBD, visit mayoclinic.org/IBD.

Dr. Tremaine is a gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic.