Vaccinations-Are they effective? Pres Thurles

Vaccinations- Are they effective?

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The Tetanus Vaccine The Meningococcal C Vaccine Who should be vaccinated? Side Effects Disadvantages

The Polio Vaccine

The Symptoms

The first symptoms of the disease are fever, sore throat, headache, and stiff neck. The potentially fatal disease can soon progress to paralysis of the lower limbs and chest, making walking and breathing difficult or impossible.

The Disease

Polio or poliomyelitis is an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. It occurs mainly in children between five and ten years. There are three strains of the disease: Brunhilde (type 1), Lansing (type 2) and Leon (type 3). Immunity to one does not provide immunity to the other two. There is no cure for the disease.

The Vaccines

There are two polio vaccines. One is an inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) in which the polio- virus has been killed. Licensed in 1955, this vaccine is injected into the patient. The second vaccine is made from live polio- viruses. This oral polio vaccine (OPV) was licensed in 1963 and is taken as drops in the mouth. Since the development of the oral vaccine, the incidence of the polio has dropped to fewer than 10 cases a year. However, in the last two decades the oral vaccine itself has caused paralytic polio in a very few children who received the vaccine, and in a few adults who came in close contact with recently vaccinated children. The risk of contracting polio in this way is no more than 1 in 1.5 million. It is greatest for people who have immune deficiencies such as AIDS, cancer, or any other diseases that make it hard for the body to fight infection and they should instead be vaccinated with the IPV. Parents who have not been vaccinated for polio should consider getting vaccinated with IPV before the child receives the oral vaccine. Although the modern IPV does not appear to cause adverse reactions, the oral polio vaccine is recommended because it is most effective. It doesn’t require continual boosters, it is easier to administer, and it also helps to spread immunity to the population at large. The oral vaccine is given at 2, 4, and 15 to 18 months, and again between 4 and 6 years.