The Importance of Immunization

By: Misty Moser ADNS

and Cynthia Hill ADNS
 What is a Vaccine?

A substance used to stimulate the production of

antibodies and provide immunity against one or
several diseases (Merriam-Webster)
 Basically, a vaccine is a substance used to
prevent the spread of disease, usually using a
killed or weakened form of the disease.
 How Do Vaccines Work?
First, a little about the immune system:
Antigens
These are foreign invaders, such as bacteria, that enter the body
Antibodies
When the immune system detects the antigens, it begins to
produce protein substances called antibodies to fight the
antigens.
Memory Cells
Are produced and help the immune system to activate much faster.
These cells have a long life span and the ability to remember
intruders.
These are stockpiled so they are available to fight off the disease
should you be exposed again.
 How Do Vaccines Work?
So...
The vaccine introduces a weakened or dead form of the
antigen, or foreign invader.

The antigen isn't strong enough to produce symptoms, but

is strong enough for the immune system to produce
antibodies.

The immune system then stock piles these antibodies for

future defense.

Now it's armed and ready should it be exposed to the

disease.
Credit: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/images/photo_howdoimwork.jpg
 Spreading the Disease!!!
You can be contagious BEFORE you have any
signs or symptoms of the disease!

Some diseases, such as tetanus, are not spread

from person to person, but are found in the dirt!
Safety of Vaccination

Risk vs Benefit
Risk Benefits
Side Effects Prevention of deadly
Pain at injection site, and debilitating
muscle aches, rash, diseases.
fever are normal and
Keeps child from
should not cause
alarm. suffering through a
“Nearly 90% of adverse
preventable illness.
events following
vaccinations are
Saves money
categorized as non- Less doctor visits
serious.” (CDC)
No hospitalization
Rare serious side effects
Most are allergic
Less time off work
reactions to ingredients Herd Immunity
and not reactions to the
antigen Those who are
vaccinated keep it
from spreading.
 Herd Immunity

“When a critical portion of a community is immunized

against a contagious disease, most members of the
community are protected against that disease because
there is little opportunity for an outbreak.” - NIAID
 Healthy, Healthy, Unimmunized,
unimmunized immunized Sick and contagious

Credit: NIAID http://www.niaid.nih.gov/SiteCollectionImages/topics/communityImmunityGeneric.gif

 Testing and Monitoring
Before vaccines are licensed, the FDA requires
testing to ensure safety.
Once a vaccine is in use, the FDA and CDC
monitor it's adverse events
Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System or VAERS
If an adverse reaction is experienced, it can be reported to
VAERS, any hint of a problem with the vaccine prompts
further investigation by the CDC and FDA
Research will be performed to investigate the vaccine and see
what action needs to be taken
 Controversy

It is true vaccines are not 100% effective...

 Mumps out break in NY and NJ in
2009

77% of those who contracted it were immunized!!!

 But wait!
Let's look at the math...
For example, if we have...
Population of 1,000 people
According to the World Health Organization 95% of people are
vaccinated
So...
950 people vaccinated
50 people not vaccinated
Out of this 1,000 total population
100 people contract mumps
77 vaccinated contracted it
23 unvaccinated contracted it
 The Population as a Whole
Immunized Population (950 people)
Only 77 contracted mumps
That's about 8% of those immunized
Unimmunized Population (50 people)
23 contracted mumps
That 46% of that part of the population!!!!
 Let's Put it in Perspective
Taking that same 1,000 people, imagine it the
other way around...
950 unimmunized (95%)
437 people would get the mumps
50 immunized (5%)
4 would get the mumps
 Vaccines and Autism
Two different types of Mercury
Methylmercury
Found in fish
Tends to accumulate in the body
Is tied to developmental delays and neurological
impairment in babies
Ethylmercury
Does not accumulate in the body
Was used in vaccines as a preservative to prevent bacterial
and fungal contamination
However, mandated by the FDA to be removed from all vaccines,
except the flu vaccine
Vaccines must be free of ethylmercury or only contain trace
amounts (less that one microgram).
Despite removal, autism rates continue to climb.
 Why Get Vaccinated?

The Importance of Immunization

 Communicable Diseases
Measle, Mumps, Rubella - MMR
Chicken Pox - Varicella
Diptheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (aka Whooping
Cough) - DtaP
Hepatitis (A and B) – HepA, HepB
Polio – IPV
Rotavirus – RV
Pneumoccocal – PCV
Haemophilus influenzae B- Hib
Measles

Rubella (German Measles

Mumps
http://www.helpfulhealthtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/Measles.jpg
http://www.helpfulhealthtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/Mumps-1.jpg
http://www.helpfulhealthtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Rubella.jpg
http://www.helpfulhealthtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Mumps-Causes.jpg
 Diptheria
Chicken Pox

Whooping cough

Tetanus

http://www.helpfulhealthtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/Chickenpox.jpg
http://www.vaccineinformation.org/photos/pertiac001b.jpg
http://www.vaccineinformation.org/photos/diphcdc003a.jpg
http://www.freeinfosociety.com/media/images/1314.jpg
Hepatitis A

Liver cancer caused by Hepatitis B

http://www.vaccineinformation.org/photos/hepaiac001a.jpg
http://www.vaccineinformation.org/photos/hepbiac001a.jpg
 Rotavirus
Pneumoccocal
Polio

HiB

http://www.vaccineinformation.org/photos/poliiac002.jpg
http://www.duke.edu/~ema5/Golian/Slides/3/gastrointestinal5_files/Gi230.jpg
http://www.vaccineinformation.org/photos/pneuaap001.jpg
http://www.aap.org/immunization/illnesses/photos/174.jpg
http://www.aap.org/immunization/illnesses/photos/182.jpg
 If Everyone Else is Doing It, Why
Should I?
Won't herd immunity protect me anyway?
Technically, yes it does help the community as a
whole
But what if everyone thought this way? Then no one would
be immunized
Risk of exposure to those who also think this way and don't
get vaccinated
Not everyone can get vaccinated
Exposure to those who aren't
 “An ounce of prevention...”
PREVENTION!!!
This is the key to public health
Disease is easier to prevent than treat
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” - Ben
Franklin
 More Information

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/10-shouldknow.htm
http://www.immunize.org/vaccines/