Vaccinations: a Clear Benefit
Vaccinations: A Clear Benefit
By: Julie Roberts
June 19, 2005
Vaccination: A Clear Benefit A clear definition of a vaccination is, "the generic term for immunization procedures. Immunization is a procedure whereby living or nonliving materials are introduced into the body :" (Nosal, 1999) The concept that people who survive an infectious disease do not get the same disease again is the basis for the administering of vaccinations. Vaccines are normally given to healthy individuals for the prevention of diseases. Vaccines work by using a human host to provide a stimulus to the immune system. Immunization is used for viral and bacterial diseases. Rappuolli reports and predicts, "Vaccines will not only be used to prevent infections, but also to cure chronic infectious diseases, tumors, diseases and allergies." (1999) Even though there are risks involved with being vaccinated, there is no doubt that vaccines have been the most effective means of combating deadly infectious diseases throughout the twentieth century. Vaccinations were developed or discovered in 1796 when Edward Jenner, a doctor in England, noted that the farmers infected with materials from cows did not develop small pox, but instead were immune to the disease. Today, vaccinations are available for a variety of life threatening or life altering diseases such as; smallpox, rabies, salmonella, tuberculosis, diphtheria, yellow fever, tetanus, pertussis, polio, influenza, cholera, measles, mumps, rubella, meningococcus, tick-borne encephalitis, pneumococcus, hepatitis B, hepatitis A, varicella, lyme disease, and rotavirus. Vaccines are more commonly given to infants today to immunize early. Already there are more vaccines in development for infectious diseases such as cancer, hepatitis C, papillomavirus, and helicobacter pylori. With these vaccines, tumors will be dramatically decreased. So instead of regarding vaccinations as a painful childhood experience, they should be perceived as
By: Julie Roberts
June 19, 2005
Vaccination: A Clear Benefit A clear definition of a vaccination is, "the generic term for immunization procedures. Immunization is a procedure whereby living or nonliving materials are introduced into the body :" (Nosal, 1999) The concept that people who survive an infectious disease do not get the same disease again is the basis for the administering of vaccinations. Vaccines are normally given to healthy individuals for the prevention of diseases. Vaccines work by using a human host to provide a stimulus to the immune system. Immunization is used for viral and bacterial diseases. Rappuolli reports and predicts, "Vaccines will not only be used to prevent infections, but also to cure chronic infectious diseases, tumors, diseases and allergies." (1999) Even though there are risks involved with being vaccinated, there is no doubt that vaccines have been the most effective means of combating deadly infectious diseases throughout the twentieth century. Vaccinations were developed or discovered in 1796 when Edward Jenner, a doctor in England, noted that the farmers infected with materials from cows did not develop small pox, but instead were immune to the disease. Today, vaccinations are available for a variety of life threatening or life altering diseases such as; smallpox, rabies, salmonella, tuberculosis, diphtheria, yellow fever, tetanus, pertussis, polio, influenza, cholera, measles, mumps, rubella, meningococcus, tick-borne encephalitis, pneumococcus, hepatitis B, hepatitis A, varicella, lyme disease, and rotavirus. Vaccines are more commonly given to infants today to immunize early. Already there are more vaccines in development for infectious diseases such as cancer, hepatitis C, papillomavirus, and helicobacter pylori. With these vaccines, tumors will be dramatically decreased. So instead of regarding vaccinations as a painful childhood experience, they should be perceived as
References: Buescher, J. (2004). Vaccinations containing thimerosal do not increase rates of autism. Journal of Family Practice, 53 (2), 94-97. Retrieved March 12, 2005 from Info Trac database. Gaby, A. (2001). Do vaccinations make children allergic? The Townsend Letter Group, 62(1), 12 Makela, J., Nuorti, P., Peltola, H. (2002). Neurologic disorders after measles-mumps-rubella Vaccination Nossal, Gustav (July 1999) Vaccination. In: Nature Encyclopedia of Life Sciences. London: Nature Publishing Group Rappuoli, Rino (August 1999) Vaccinations of Humans. In: Nature Encyclopedia of Life Sciences Richards, S. (2004). An update on childhood vaccinations. Primary Health Care, 14(10), 22-25 US nurses oppose smallpox vaccinations (2003). Australian Nursing Journal, 10(8), 13. Retrieved March 12, 2005, from Info Trac database. Zepf, B. (2005) Do childhood vaccinations cause type 1 diabetes? American Family Physician, 71 (3), 583 Zimmerman, R. (2000). Child vaccination, part 1:routine vaccinations. Journal of Family Practice, 49,(9), 22-33