1. Vaccines Combating Viruses

2. There are many different viral infections, most of which you have probably already heard of! List some viral infections that you have either experienced or have heard of.

3. Examples of Viruses Hepatitis Chicken Pox Polio Measles/Mumps HIV Smallpox HPV Dengue Fever Influenza How many of these viruses have a vaccine?

4. Vaccinations Vaccinations: introducing a substance into the body in order to produce an immunity to a disease

5. Can I get sick from a vaccine?

6. How exactly do vaccines work then? - Viral vaccines are made using parts of, or a weakened form of the virus you are vaccinating against. -Depending on the vaccine, some can be taken orally, but most are injected into your blood stream. -It causes your immune system to respond and build antibodies, which are molecules that have instructions on how to fight the real virus, if you ever encounter it.

7. Where did vaccinations come from? Vaccination may have been used in China, India, and Persia in ancient times. In 1796, Edward Jenner carried out an experiment which led to the first documented “vaccine”.

8. The First Vaccine? -Jenner noticed that cowpox acted a lot like smallpox, but was less dangerous. -Milkmaids, who were in contact with cowpox, seem to be immune and never contracted smallpox, which was a major killer at the time.

9. The First Vaccine? In his experiment, he started by taking pus from the blisters of a Milkmaid whom had contracted cowpox. Hoping that this led to immunity, Jenner then inserted this pus carrying the cowpox virus into a young boy. After some time, he exposed the young boy with the smallpox virus. Thankfully, the boy was immune to the virus. Since then, the cowpox virus had been used as a vaccine for smallpox.

10. How Important are Vaccines? Vaccines are the best defence against viruses We cannot cure any viruses – our bodies can, but medicine can’t Our only method of defence are vaccines Diseases that have been eradicated or mostly eradicated by vaccines include smallpox and polio

11. How important are vaccines? Vaccinations create “herd immunity” – Herd immunity –form of immunity that occurs when the vaccination of a significant portion of a population (or herd) provides a measure of protection for individuals who have not developed immunity – Important for individuals who cannot get vaccines (such as people who suffer from immunodeficiency diseases)

12. Preventable Disease Map http://www.cfr.org/interactives/GH_Vaccine_ Map/#map

13. Vaccine Debate http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/te ach/vaccine/