In May of 1796, a scientist named Edward Jenner first discovered vaccines. At this time, smallpox was an epidemic that was greatly feared by the population. Jenner took scrapings from a cowpox blister, which is a much milder form of smallpox, and injected those particles into a girl's arm (Tortora, Funke & Case, 2013, p. 11). The girl became slightly sick, but recovered and was never infected with cowpox or smallpox again. A few years later, Louis Pasteur discovered how Jenner's vaccination worked. He found that in the lab, bacteria and viruses lose their pathogenicity, or lose their strength to cause disease (Tortora, Funke & Case, 2013, p. 11). With this information, he realized that these weaker strains of the microbes that cause certain diseases can be used to increase immunity without actually infecting the person with the harmful disease.
Vaccinations are used to protect us from diseases by building up our immunity. Diseases are caused by microbes such as viruses and bacteria. A vaccine is a small strain or part of a disease administered typically through a needle into a patient to allow their immune system to produce immunity to that specific disease (CDC, 2014). Immunity is protection from a disease that your body builds. When you become immune, you can be exposed to a disease without becoming ill because of antibodies produced to destroy the toxins. These antibodies work by destroying the bacteria and viruses that make you sick. There are two types of immunity, active and passive. Active immunity occurs when a disease microbe is introduced to the immune system which produces antibodies for the disease. This happens either naturally, after a person is infected with a disease, or vaccine-induced, where the person is vaccinated for that disease before being infected (CDC, 2014). Passive immunity is where someone is given antibodies for a disease rather than their body creating them (CDC, 2014). An example of this would be the antibodies a baby receives from a mother through the placenta. The baby's body didn't produce the antibodies itself, they were passed on.
Vaccinations are used to protect us from diseases by building up our immunity. Diseases are caused by microbes such as viruses and bacteria. A vaccine is a small strain or part of a disease administered typically through a needle into a patient to allow their immune system to produce immunity to that specific disease (CDC, 2014). Immunity is protection from a disease that your body builds. When you become immune, you can be exposed to a disease without becoming ill because of antibodies produced to destroy the toxins. These antibodies work by destroying the bacteria and viruses that make you sick. There are two types of immunity, active and passive. Active immunity occurs when a disease microbe is introduced to the immune system which produces antibodies for the disease. This happens either naturally, after a person is infected with a disease, or vaccine-induced, where the person is vaccinated for that disease before being infected (CDC, 2014). Passive immunity is where someone is given antibodies for a disease rather than their body creating them (CDC, 2014). An example of this would be the antibodies a baby receives from a mother through the placenta. The baby's body didn't produce the antibodies itself, they were passed on.
Immunization Life Cycle
- No vaccination for a disease, many people will contract it.
- Once a vaccine is available, use of it rises rapidly.
- Some minor reactions can occur from vaccines.
- Vaccinations rise=disease drops
- Some think they won't need the vaccine anymore because the disease is less prevalent.
- Number of vaccines decrease, and the cases of disease increase again.
- People see the rise in disease and more get vaccinated again
- Disease is eliminated because the majority of the population is vaccinated
- The vaccinations can also be eliminated
Numbers 1-9 & Chart (CDC, 2014).
Many vaccines are recommended for babies to get before age two, or at certain ages before their adult life. Most vaccines only need to be administered once, whereas others have requirements of two or more doses before immunity is achieved long term and sometimes for the rest of your life. The annual flu vaccine is an exception to this because the flu virus changes each year and a new, stronger strain develops. Because of this, a new vaccine needs to be created and administered each year to prevent the population from getting the most recent, prevalent strain.
Recommended Vaccines: Children & Adults
- TdAP: Protects against Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis
- MMR: Vaccinates for Measles, Mumps, and Rubella
- Varicella: Protects against chicken pox
- Zoster: Prevents Shingles
- HepA: Protects against Hepatitis A
- HepB: Vaccinates against Hepatitis B
- Influenza (Annual Flu Vaccine): Protects against the flu
No comments:
Post a Comment