KEY WORDS:
Vaccination:
Process of inoculating the vaccine/antigen.
Immunization:
Process of inducing immune response.
Sero Conversion:
Change from antibody negative state to
antibody positive state.
Antibody titer:
Measures extent of antibody formation
after vaccination (reciprocal of highest serum dilution at which antibody
has been detected.)
Geometric mean titer (GMT):
The mean antibody titer in a
group of seroconverted individuals)
Contraindication:
Strictly not indicated or not to be
given.
Immunizations
-
Diphtheria,
Tetanus, Pertussis, Polio, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Hemophilus meningitis, and
Hepatitis can be killers.
-
These diseases can all be
prevented with immunization.
-
All infants and children should be completely
immunized against these infections.
-
Adults also need protection against certain
diseases like hepatitis A & B, Typhoid, Chickenpox etc. Protect yourself and your family by making
sure that everyone is adequately immunized.
Before receiving any immunizations, be sure to tell the nurse of doctor if
you or your child is allergic to eggs or has a serious illness. Certain vaccines
cannot be given during pregnancy or to people who have immune disorders, such as
lymphoma, leukemia, and AIDS.
Adolescents and young adults
Between 14 and 16 years, immunization against tetanus and diphtheria
(DT
vaccine) is needed. The DT vaccine is given in three doses for previously
vaccinated persons. (Otherwise, a booster is given.) The first and second doses
are 8 weeks apart, and the third dose is 6 to 12 months after the second dose.
After that, a single DT booster is needed every 10 years.
Recent outbreaks of measles among young adults have pointed to the need for
revaccination. Colleges and other post-high school educational institutions are
now requiring proof of two doses of measles vaccine. Anyone who has not had both
doses will need to be vaccinated, either with the MMR vaccine or the measles
vaccine.
Adults over 25 years
A
DT booster is needed every 10 years. People over age 65 years should also
be vaccinated against Influenza and pneumonia.
People with special risks
Chronic illnesses.
People with blood clotting diseases (hemophilia)
and dialysis patients should be vaccinated against Hepatitis. Vaccines for
influenza and pneumonia are recommended for people with any chronic health
problem.
Life-style
risks.
Unprotected sex and injection drug use put
individuals at high risk for Hepatitis B infection.
Travelers.
Adult travelers outside the
country may need to update their
immunizations, particularly Hepatitis, Yellow fever etc.
Immigrants, refugees, and foreign students.
Many countries do not
routinely immunize. As a result, persons entering the country. should be
immunized.
Residents of institutions.
Outbreaks of
Hepatitis, TB, Chicken pox, Measles, Typhoid and other
infectious diseases can occur in correctional facilities and institutions for
the mentally retarded.
Side effects of vaccines
-
Vaccines are carefully tested for both effectiveness and safety before they
are approved. Some soreness, redness, and swelling at the injection site can be
expected with most vaccines. Usually these symptoms are very mild and disappear
after 1 or 2 days.
-
Call the doctor immediately if any of the following symptoms
occur after vaccination: Fever of 100o F or more, severe headache, swelling of
the mouth and throat, difficulty breathing, wheezing, fainting, or seizures.
Immunity
The quality of being insusceptible to or unaffected by a certain disease or
state. Kinds of immunity are Active immunity and Passive immunity.
Passive immunity
A
form of immunity from antibodies that are carried
through the placenta to a fetus or through a breast substance (colostrums) from a
mother to an infant. Passive immunity is also caused by injecting ready made
antibodies (antiserum) for treatment or prevention. Passive immunity is not permanent and
does not last as long as active immunity.
Active immunity
A
form of long-term, gained immunity. It protects the
body from new infection.
Immune system
A complex that protects the body from disease organisms
and other foreign bodies. The system includes the humoral immune response and
the cell-mediated response. The immune system also protects the body from
invasion by making local barriers and inflammation. The humoral response and the
cell-mediated response develop if these first defenses fail to protect the body.
The humoral immune response is especially effective against bacterial and viral
invasions. The main organs of the immune response system are the bone marrow,
the thymus, and the lymphoid tissues. The system uses other organs, too, as the
lymph nodes, the spleen, and the lymphatic vessels. The response may start as
soon as the antigen invades or start as long as 48 hours later
Immunization,
A
process by which resistance to an infectious disease is
induced or augmented.
DTP
Protects against
Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis. Children need a
total of five doses (DTP-1, DTP-2, etc.) before reaching school age.
DT
(diphtheria and tetanus)
Is given after age 14 years.
OPV
Is oral polio vaccine, and children need a total of
seven doses
(OPV-1, OPV-2, etc.) before reaching school age.
MMR
Immunizes against measles, mumps, and rubella. Two doses (MMR-1 and
MMR-2) are necessary.
Hemophilus
Vaccine protects against a type of
meningitis that particularly affects children. This vaccine is given in 4 or 3
doses (option 1 or 2, depending on the type of vaccine that is used).
Hepatitis b
(HB)
Vaccine is recommended for infants and any person of any
age who is at risk for exposure to hepatitis b. This vaccine is given in a
series of 3 or 4 doses (option 1 or 2, depending on the type of vaccine that is
used).
BCG
Vaccine is administered
to protect against
tuberculosis (TB).
Pneumococcal vaccine,
-
An active vaccination drug with foreign bodies
(antigens) of the 14 types of Pneumococcus linked to 80% of the cases of Pneumococcal
pneumonia.
-
It is given to patients over 2 years of age who are at
high risk of getting severe Pneumococcal pneumonia.