Immunisation

Timeline Milestones in Immunisation 429 BC Thucydides notices smallpox survivors did not get re-infected 900 AD Chinese practise variolation 1700s Variolation reaches Turkey and rest of Europe 1796 Edward Jenner: from variolation to vaccination 1803 Royal Jennerian Institute founded 1870s Violent opposition to vaccination 1880s Louis Pasteur - sheep trials and rabies 1890 Emil von Behring discovers basis of diphtheria and tetanus vaccines 1920s Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough) and BCG (against tuberculosis) vaccines widely available 1955 Polio immunisation programme begins 1956 WHO launch global drive to eradicate smallpox 1980 Smallpox eradicated

Why Immunise? Immunisation is a way of protecting against serious disease. Once immunised bodies can fight those diseases if they come into contact with them. If not immunised you will be at risk from catching the disease. The only time to stop immunising is when a disease has been eradicated worldwide.

What is a vaccine? Vaccines stimulate our immune system to produce antibodies without us having to become infected with the actual disease. A dose of vaccine may contain: –a suspending fluid to carry the vaccine into the body –preservatives and stabilisers so the vaccine can be stored safely, and –an adjuvant to improve the body's immune response.

How are vaccines made? Vaccine manufacture starts by generating the very organism that produces the disease, the pathogen Many bacteria, for example, can be grown on agar gel. Viruses are mass produced by infecting cells grown in tissue culture. Then the pathogen must be altered to make sure it doesn't trigger the disease itself.

Types of immunity Active – via vaccine Passive – inherited from Mother

Herd immunity? For more detail go to:

Childhood Immunisation WHEN TO IMMUNISEWHAT IS GIVENHOW IT IS GIVEN 2, 3 and 4 months oldDiphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio and Hib (DTaP/IPV/Hib) One injection MenCOne injection Around 13 months oldMeasles, mumps and rubella (MMR)One injection 3 years and 4 months to 5 years oldDiphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough) and polio (dTaP/IPV or DTaP/IPV) One injection Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR)One injection 10 to 14 years old (and sometimes shortly after birth) BCG (against tuberculosis)Skin test, then, if needed, one injection 13 to 18 years oldDiphtheria, tetanus, polio (Td/IPV)One injection

Travel vaccines You may need extra immunisations when going abroad. For more information on vaccines and health advice for travel abroad:

Influenza Three types A B C – usually mild Respiratory disease – spread through droplet infection. Incubation period = 1 – 3 days

Pneumococcal The pneumococcal vaccine (or pneumo vaccine for short) protects against pneumococcal infection. People who are 65 and over are now routinely offered the vaccine.

The global context ‘The two public health interventions that have had the greatest impact on the world’s health are clean water and vaccines’ (World Health Organisation)

Global Immunisation Facts: 3 million children die every year from diseases that are entirely preventable. 30 million infants have no access to basic immunisation each year. In almost 50 nations, 60 percent of the children are not immunised. A child in the developing world is ten times more likely to die a vaccine-preventable death than a child in an industrialised nation. One child can be fully immunised for $17 (about £30) Every $1 spent on immunisation saves society up to $29.