VACCINATION

Brief history of vaccines

During the late eighteenth century, the discovering of small pox immunization by Edward Jenner leads to the production of vaccines. It progresses until 20^th century, during this period scientific knowledge in microbiology and immunology increases which leads to a better way to culture viruses. As of recent, vaccines have evolved in knowledge which provides better approach to prevent infection.

Vaccination means the process whereby vaccines are administered. it requires the technical handling of antigenic material usually of vaccine to energize the defensive mechanism of individual, in order to develop an adaptive immunity against infectious microorganism such as virus, bacteria, protozoa, prion and fungus.

Generally, vaccines refer to the scientific planning that renders immunity to certain infectious disease. They are made from disease-causing microorganism but often from weakened ones. Vaccine does not cure nor treat, they prevents disease. Most vaccines are by injection while some are orally.

Note: Immunization is often interchangeable with vaccine, but these are two different terminologies. Immunity refers to the process a person is protected against diseases, while vaccines are generally the products that produce immunity.

How vaccines do work?

Having better understanding about your immune system will reveal the secret on how vaccine works. The body immune system is made up of connective cell, tissue, and organs that cooperate to protect the body against disease. The immune system

• Identify the disease-causing agent as foreigner, and
• Produce antibodies to destroy the disease-causing agent.

Vaccines work by energizing your immunity towards disease, this are manufactured using attenuated version of the disease-causing agent. Your immune systems responds to the vaccine in a way it would react to the real germ, which occurs through the following process;

• Your immune systems recognize the germ in the vaccines as foreigner.
• Its follows a responsive stimulus to produce antibodies against germ in the vaccines.
• After this, your immune systems recognize the germ and find a means to destroy it.

Vaccinating age

The proper age for vaccinating children should be between 4-6 years, during this period, it is recommended to visit your doctor for medical checkup. Vaccines like tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis should be done. Although, some people can’t be vaccinated, people with certain medical issues and infants.

Importance of vaccination

There are misunderstanding about vaccines, most people believe vaccines cause diseases, but this is not the real thought. Vaccines don’t cause diseases but they are meant to prevent them. Some important vaccines are made for:

• Prevention against disease like mumps, whooping-cough and measles.
• They protect the children from diseases and complications such as brain damage, paralysis of limb, hearing loss, and death.
• Failure to vaccinate the children will result to spread the disease to the younger children which are too young to be vaccinated.
• Vaccines help to prevent disease outbreak when are used properly and make the world disease free.

Vaccinating your children is very essential, it helps to prevent disease outbreak. Vaccination should not be hold with levity hand!