Immunization Analysis Essay Example

children involves various active immunization methods that depend on the specific organism responsible for each disease, with over 90% of children receiving all vaccines before their second birthday in the US and around 85% in Canada. These vaccines contain antigens, which are foreign substances from disease-causing organisms recognized by the immune system, as their active components.

When the body encounters an antigen, it produces antibodies or T lymphocytes, which are specialized attacker cells. Immunization mimics a real infection but with minimal risk to the person receiving it. Some vaccines offer full protection against a disease for life, while others only provide partial protection, resulting in a milder form of the illness if contracted. However, immunizing agents pose a risk for those with weakened immune systems due to AIDS or chemotherapy. Without a healthy defense system, these individuals are at risk of developing the very disease that the vaccine aims to prevent.

Vaccines may require additional doses, known as booster shots, at specific intervals. For example, tetanus vaccines are recommended every ten years. Scientists alter organisms or their components with minimal risk of causing illness to create a vaccine that activates the body's immune response against diseases. Vaccines containing weakened live organisms, also known as attenuated viruses, can prevent illnesses such as yellow fever, measles, smallpox and other viral infections.

Administering vaccines containing inactive microorganisms or antigen-containing fragments of pathogens protects against bacterial infections like typhoid fever, diphtheria, and poliomyelitis. Acellular vaccines, which use specific parts of the organism such as cell wall proteins or flagella for antigens, reduce the risk of negative immune reactions. These include versions for Haemophilus influenzae type B meningitis and new whooping cough vaccines.

Genetic engineering methods have allowed scientists to isolate specific genes responsible for certain antigens and improve this approach.

Produced through this method, subunit vaccines are safe to use even for individuals with weakened immune systems as they cannot cause diseases. In the late 1990s, subunit vaccines for hepatitis B and pneumococcus infection, the culprit behind pneumonia, were developed. Bacterial toxins treated with chemicals to remove toxicity while retaining their antigens may also be employed to facilitate active immunization. This method employs the toxins produced by modified bacteria instead of the organism itself and is commonly used in vaccinating against tetanus, botulism, and other similar toxic diseases. In contrast, passive immunization does not entail the injection of any antigen.

Passive immunization involves using vaccines that contain antibodies obtained from an actively immunized human or animal. These antibodies offer two to three weeks of protection against the disease. Unlike active immunization, which can take weeks to develop, passive immunization provides immediate protection, making it potentially lifesaving for those infected with deadly organisms. However, there are sometimes complications associated with passive immunization, as seen with diseases like botulism and rabies.

In the past, antibodies for specific diseases were procured from horses' plasma and needed to be treated before use in humans. However, allergic reactions were common. Nowadays, human-derived immune-globulin is more easily accessible, reducing the likelihood of negative consequences. The United States boasts over 50 authorized vaccines for preventable ailments, which are supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics and U.S.

The Public Health Service suggests a series of vaccinations for infants that should be finished by age two, although certain diseases necessitate booster vaccines like diphtheria and tetanus to ensure

adequate protection. The length of complete immunity from new vaccines is unknown. For instance, the measles vaccine administered to children at 15 months old since 1963 was determined not to provide defense beyond adolescence or young adulthood, leading to outbreaks among college students who were vaccinated as babies in the 1980s.

Health authorities recommend administering a measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine booster to children at the start of their school years in order to prevent future epidemics.