Immunizations

..The Real Story

Panhandle Health District

February 2006
How Immunity Works
You get sick when your body is invaded by germs. It is the job of your immune system to protect
you from these germs. Germs enter your body and start to reproduce. Your immune
system recognizes these germs as invaders from out side your body and responds by
making proteins called antibodies. Antibodies have two jobs.
1. Destroy germs. Because germs have a head start, you will already be sick by the time your
immune system has produced enough antibodies to destroy them. But by eliminating the
attacking germs, antibodies help you to get well.
2. The antibodies remain in your bloodstream, guarding you from future infections. If the
same germs ever try to infect you again, these antibodies will come to your defense. This
process is called immunity.

This is a very effective system for preventing disease, The only problem is you have to get sick
before you develop immunity.
How Vaccines Help
Vaccines give you immunity to a disease before it
has a chance to make you sick.Vaccines are made
from the germs (or parts of them) that cause disease.
Measles vaccine is made from measles virus, and
Tetanus is made from part of the tetanus toxin. But
the germs in vaccines are either killed or weakened
(attenuated) so they wont make you sick.
Diphtheria
Vaccine: DTaP
Diphtheria is a bacterial
disease that causes
destruction of the tissues at
the back of the throat. It
can also cause a membrane
to grow at the back of the
throat causing airway
obstruction.
If it gets into the
bloodstream, it can result
in heart failure and nerve
inflammation.
Fatality rate is 5-10%, but
is 20% in children <5 and
adults > 40.
Diphtheria
Continued
Pre-vaccine Era 2005
Morbidity = 175,885 0
Mortality = 410 0

Tetanus
Tetanus disease is caused by a neurotoxin which causes the large muscle
group to spasm resulting in lock jaw, respiratory paralysis, and in 30% of
people, death.
This bacteria forms a spore which is highly resistant to heat and usual
antiseptics.
Tetanus is present in the soil. Infection with the disease does not give
immunity to it.
Pre-vaccine Era 2005
Morbidity = 486 27
Mortality = 336 0
Pertussis
Is a bacterial respiratory illness.
It is also known as Whooping
Cough due to the sound made
by someone with the disease
struggling to catch their breath
while coughing.
Adults can be carriers of the
disease, and easily pass it on to
infants. There is now a vaccine
for adolescents and adults

Pre-vaccine 2005
Morbidity = 120,718 25616
Mortality = 1118 NA

Polio
Polio caused more than just paralyzed extremities. In its most severe
form it also caused respiratory paralysis which frequently caused death.
Treatment was supportive of symptoms, but there is no magic potion to cure
polio, only the vaccination to prevent it.
Polio is an
acute viral
disease, which
can cause
paralysis
Polio continued
Los Angeles, Ca. 1952 people are in "iron lungs" (breathing
machines), unable to breathe on their own due to polio.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Pre-vaccine
Morbidity = 33300
Mortality = 1904
2005
0
0
Pnuemococcal
Streptococcus pneumonia causes blood
poisoning and meningitis in both children
and adults. It also causes pneumonia.
Pnuemococcal bacteria
usually infects the lungs or the brain
spreads between people by coughing
and sneezing
Complications
lung infections
blood infections
brain damage
death
All infants and children under the age of 2
and all adults 65 years of age and older
should be protected against Pnuemococcal
disease with vaccine
This is a brain of a person who died from Pneumococcal
brain infection. The brain is covered with pus.
HIB Haemophilus Influenzae Type B
It was once the most
common cause of
meningitis and other
invasive bacterial disease
in babies and preschoolers
in the US.
In spite of extensive and
effective antibiotics, 2-5%
of children with the
disease died and 15-30%
were left with hearing loss
& brain damage.
Hepatitis B
End Stage
Hepatitis B is a viral disease for which can cause
chronic inflammation of the liver.

It is a disease for which there is no cure, only
supportive treatment. It carries the potential of the
development of liver cancer.

It is passed from infected mother to an unborn
baby who then becomes a carrier unless the cycle
is broken at birth with an Immune globulin &
Hepatitis B vaccine.

Hepatitis is 300 times more infectious than HIV &
can live on surfaces for up to a month.

It is transmitted through blood and bodily fluids
which is a polite way of saying semen and vaginal
secretions.
Measles
Measles is extremely contagious.
It is a rash viral illness in which 30%
of patients have complications,
such as diarrhea, ear infections,
pneumonia, & more rarely, brain
swelling & seizures.
Death occurs in 1-2 per 1000 cases.
Pre-Vaccine 2005
Morbidity = 319,124 66
Mortality = 468 NA
Rubella
Vaccine: MMR
Rubella is another
rash illness which is
mild and seemingly
inconsequential in
patients.
The real danger is
to the unborn baby
of a pregnant
woman who gets
Rubella.
1969 =62 CRS 2005 = 1
Rubella
Continued
Rubella is easy to prevent
with vaccine.
All children & some adults need to
be vaccinated.
It causes severe
problems including fetal
death, premature
delivery & many
congenital defects;
deafness, cataracts,
glaucoma, heart
malformations, mental
retardation & other
neurological problems.

.
Mumps
Vaccine: MMR
Mumps is an acute viral
disease. The most common
symptom is inflammation of
the parotiod glands (salivary
glands)
The main danger with
mumps is aseptic meningitis
which is present without
symptoms in 50-60% of
patients.
15% will have symptomatic
meningitis.
It is one the the leading
causes of acquired deafness
in childhood.
Varicella
Chicken Pox
Chickenpox is thought by
many to be a benign disease of
childhood. But every year in
this country up to 50 otherwise
healthy children die of
chickenpox.
Complications with bacterial
infection of the pox can make
children very ill.
Older children and adults have
more severe cases with up to
30% of adults requiring
hospitalization.
Persons who are
immunocompromised cannot
take the vaccine, but the
infection in them carries a very
high mortality rate.
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis is a very
contagious virus which is
shed in the stool of
infected persons.
Disease in very young
children is often without
symptoms, so it can be
spread to adults who
become ill for up to a
month, with full recovery
taking up to six months.
If liver disease is already
present, Hep A can be
fatal.
Influenza
Influenza
serious disease
can cause pneumonia and death
spreads very easily by coughing and
sneezing
Once infected takes 1-3 days to get sick
Complications
pneumonia
swelling of the brain
death
Symptoms
fever and chills
sore throat
dry cough
headache
runny nose
chest pain
weakness and tiredness
Thimerosal
A preservative that may be used in vaccine
Mercury in vaccine is called ethyl-mercury
Form of mercury that contaminates the
environment is methyl-mercury.
Ethyl-mercury is excreted from the body
faster than methyl-mercury.
In vaccines since 1930. Removed in 2001
Concerns
Necessary
Natural Immunity
Too Many Shots (Overwhelm Immune System)
Are Vaccines Safe
Do Vaccines Cause Disease