DEFINITION

It is named an immunization or vaccinates to the process to initiate or to increase the resistance opposite to an infectious illness.

GENERAL INFORMATION

The immune answer protects to the body against the illness. The children are born with a natural immunity against the illness thanks to the transmission of antibodies of the mother to the fetus across the barrier placentaria. This immunity is supported during the period in which the children are nursed to the breast.

The vaccination is a way of unleashing the acquired immunity. This is a specializing form of immunity that contributes lasting protection from specific antigens, responsible for certain illnesses.

There are administered small doses of an antigen (like for example dead or flagging viruses) in order to activate the immune memory (complex mechanism, in which there intervene specializing cells of the blood that are capable of recognizing the antigen and of answering quickly to his presence).

The immune memory allows to the body to react rapidly and actively to the future exhibition to gérmenes, toxins, etc... before they could hurt (the body constructs a defense before the illness). The vaccination is one of the best means to be protected against many contagious illnesses.

At present there are four types different from available vaccines.

• (Attenuated) living but flagging viruses. They are used in the vaccine of the oral polio and in the viral triple vaccine (measles - German measles - mumps).
• Virus or bacteria died (unactivated). For example, in the vaccine of the tosferina unactivated bacteria are used.
• The vaccines toxoides contain a toxin produced by bacteria or virus. For example, the vaccines of the lockjaw and the diphtheria are of this type.
• The biosynthetic vaccines contain synthetic substances (done by the man).

For example, the Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type B) is a biosynthetic vaccine that contains two antigens that get together to form a "combined" molecule that incites to the immune system to produce effective antibodies against this illness.

PROGRAM OF IMMUNIZATION

The recommended immunizations program can change, while new and more effective vaccines develop.

It is necessary to consult with his doctor on the specific immunizations who needs.

Recommended vaccination calendar for children

• The vaccination is suitable against the tuberculosis (BCG), which usually puts itself in the first 2 months.
• Also the vaccination is recommended against Haemophilus B, which there causes 10 % of all the meningitises.
• VHB (Hepatitis B, optional): three doses; an at the age of 1 or 2 months, an at the age of 4 months, and one to the 6 to 18 months.
• The adults who have not received the vaccine of the hepatitis B and do not have the positive test to the virus but they have risk of contracting the illness, must be immunized.
• The recommendations for the Hib (Haemophilus Influenza type 3) change. The combined vaccine can be administered. The children who go to nursery schools and preschool months should begin the vaccination at least at the age of 18.

Immunizations recommended for adults

• Lockjaw / diphtheria: The first series should be administered if it did not receive it from child. Later memory dose every 10 years.
• Triple Viral.
• VPI (vaccine of the unactivated polio).
• Influenza (vaccine of the flu). It is not recommended for the whole world. The biggest people and certain type of patients (cardiópatas...), must be vaccinated.
• Pneumonia neumocócica, in some situations.

AVAILABILITY

The vaccines are available in the health services and drugstores always prescribed by a doctor.

INFORMATION FOR THE PARENTS

Most of the immunizations must happen by means of an injection because the acids in the stomach do that the oral vaccines are ineffective. Only the vaccine of the polio can be given by the mouth.

So that the vaccination act is easier for a child:

• If the child can understand us it is convenient to tell him what we go to do.
• To tell to him that the injection serves to stay healthy and healthy. This can calm the child.
• To tell to the child that it can cry, but suggest him to try to be brave. Some children calm down if the father tells to them that to he does not like the injections either but it tries to be brave when they put themselves them. Not to scold him although it cries.
• The distraction at the moment of the injection is useful. For example, to say to the child that it should look far (perhaps a picture on the wall), to tell the numbers or to say the ABC with, to tell him something comical during the injection.
• Try to be calmed. The child will notice if the father worries before the injection.
• To plan some diversion for after the injection. A walk along the park or the place of games. To eat out, to play with the child, or another diversion after the injection can do that in the next immunization the child is not afraid.

OTHER IMMUNIZATIONS

THE IMMUNIZATIONS FOR A TRIP

For every trip, period, and place of the world is necessary a program different from vaccinations, for it it is necessary to consult with the Provincial Directions of Health, in every occasion.

Most of the immunizations will have to be received at least one month before the trip. Take the immunization records with you when he travels round the foreigner.
Many vaccines can be administered simultaneously without any decrease in his efficacy. The specific gammaglobulina has to he was administering in another place of the body.

PRECAUTION

You vaccinate in the pregnancy:
It must not happen before the doubt of pregnancy the MMR (measles, German measles and parotiditis)

Ningúna demonstrates of risk to the baby in the hepatitis A, hepatitis B, anger, fever typhoid, meningitis, DPT, polio (IPV)  

The risk is not known in that of the Clera.

Additional vaccines in the trips to the extrajero:

A memory dose recommends to itself in the adult every 10; years. It is advisable in the trips to most of the New Independent States of the ancient Soviet Union.

The persons born after 1957 should consider the second dose of vaccine of the measles before traveling abroad.

 The vaccine is recommended in case of trips to certain parts of Africa and South America.

An additional vaccine dose should be got for travelers who go to the increasing countries of Africa, Asia, the Middle East, the Indian Subcontinent, and to most of the New Independent States of the ancient Soviet Union.
There is recommended the only dose of unactivated virus of the Polio (IPV).

It is necessary to administer the vaccine if it is necessary to remain more than 6 months in areas where there is a high hepatitis incidence B (Southeast Asia, Africa, the Middle East, the islands of the South and Pacífico Occidental, and the Amazon region of South America).

There is recommended a dose of vaccine and a dose of specific Antibody in the trips to the whole world except, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and North America.

• Fever typhoid:

For the travelers of more than 6 weeks to developing countries with problems of potability of the water.

• Meningitis:

The vaccine of the meningitis is recommended C in the trips to countries of the sub-Saharan Africa, especially if the trip is realized during the dry period from December until June.

It is recommended in the long trips to areas of risk.

The vaccine of the anger can be necessary if an animal bites him possibly rabidly. Also it is advisable if it is planned to travel during more than 30 days to an area in which the anger is frequent: Thailand, Mexico, India, Nepal, the Philippines, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Ecuador, Colombia, El Salvador, and most of the Asian and African countries. Any animal bite should be suspicious.

The dogs, skunks, mice, foxes, coyotes, and the bats are the animals most infected commonly. The occupations of higher risk are included by hunters, observers of forest, laboratory workpeople, veterinary, workpeople of slaughterhouses, workpeople with animals and explorers of caves.

Since he tolerates very badly his utility is debatable.

TO SEE ALSO

• Immunization against the Flu
• Immunization against the Hepatitis B
• Immunization against the Polio
• Immunization against Measles - German measles - Mumps (Triple Viral)

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