Vaccines
- Vaccines are antigenic materials consisting of the whole microorganism or one of its products. A vaccine is a biological preparation that improves immunity to a particular disease.
- Vaccines impart active immunity-act as antigens which induce production of specific antibodies by the recipient himself.
- Active immunization with vaccines may fail to ‘take’ during corticosteroid or immunosuppressant medication and should be avoided.
- Vaccination should be deferred in the presence of any acute (especially respiratory) infection and during pregnancy.
- Antibiotics added during production of vaccines and present in trace amounts in viral vaccines may cause reaction in individuals sensitive to these. Egg proteins (in vaccines prepared on chick embryo) and other materials used for vaccine culture may be responsible for allergic reactions.
- Adrenaline injection (1 in 1000) should be available to control allergic reaction to the vaccine, if it occurs.
- The antibodies developed in response to live or killed vaccines inactivate the bacteria/virus when it subsequently enters the body, while those induced by toxoids neutralize the elaboratedexotoxin.
- The latent period between vaccination and development of immunity and the period for which it lasts depends primarily on the organism, but varies somewhat in different individuals.
- Viral vaccines and toxoids generally afford more prolonged protection than bacterial vaccines.
- Vaccines are of 3 types:
– Killed (Inactivated) vaccines
– Live attenuated vaccines
– Toxoids (Altered toxins)
Killed (Inactivated) vaccines
- Killed (Inactivated) vaccines consist of microorganisms killed by heat or chemicals.
- E.g.
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Live attenuated vaccines
- Live attenuated vaccines consist of live bacteria or viruses which have been rendered avirulent.
- They nevertheless grow and multiply in the body of the host to a limited extent.
- E.g.
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Toxoids (Altered toxins)
- Toxoids are modified bacterial exotoxins so that toxicity is lost but antigenicity is retained.
- E.g.
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Combined Vaccines (Mixed antigens)
- Combined vaccines contains more than one antigen.
- E.g.
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Routine immunisation schedule for infants & childrens :
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Routine immunisation schedule for pregnant women :
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Healthcare Provider Schedules
Birth-18 Years Recommended Immunization Schedule
