Vaccinations

The programming of the Immune System to that the body can respond rapidly to infecting micro-organisms which can occur naturally or artificially

• The artificial introduction of antigens or pathogenic organisms so that the ability to produce the appropriate antibodies is acquired without the person having to suffer the disease • The antigen preparation used in artificial immunisation

• Living Attenuated Micro-organisms • Dead Micro-organisms • Toxoid • Sub Unit Vaccine

• Are vaccines of a reduced virulence (reduced ability to produce symptoms) • Person does not contract the disease but manufactures antibodies against the Antigen • This immunity lasts for longer e. g. Chicken Pox, Measles, Rubella, Yellow Fever

• Killed micro organisms • Immunity produced in this way is not usually as prolonged as it would be with immunisation using live attenuated micro-organisms e. g. Cholera, Typhoid, Whooping Cough

• Made from filtrates of bacterial cultures containing toxins • The toxins produced by the bacteria are inactivated so that when they are injected into someone they do not make the person ill e. g. Diphtheria, Tetanus

• Instead of using a whole dead or attenuated micro-organism, a fragment of the organism is used to provoke the immune response e. g. Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), Hepatitis B

• Syringe - most common method of vaccination is injection with a syringe • Oral - vaccines such as the Polio vaccine is given bia mouth in a sweet syrup or in lumps of sugar • Nasal Spray - Use of a fine spray into the nostrils • Skin Patches - self administering, could be sent to people though post and could be very useful in developing countries where medical services are not readily available • Foods - This line of research has now been abandoned because of difficulties in controlling the dose

When a large percentage of a community is vaccinated it reduces the chance of the disease in even the most susceptible individuals, but also increases the immunity of the population

• Allergic Reaction • Impossibility to Isolate one virus from another • Manufacture

• Economic • Education & Knowledge • Religion • Media • Peers and social influence