VACCINE (VACCINATION)

Course overview

IMMUNIZATION SUCCESSFULLY USES IMMUNOTHERAPY TO TREAT MANY INFECTIOUS DISEASES BY STIMULATING THE IMMUNE SYSTEM TO PRODUCE SPECIFIC ANTIBODIES OR SPECIFIC LYMPHOCYTES TO FIGHT OFF PATHOGENS AND, MORE RECENTLY, PROTECT AGAINST MALIGNANT TUMORS. THIS IMMUNOTHERAPY CREATES AN IMMUNOLOGICAL MEMORY THAT CAN BE LONG-LASTING. THE CURRENT IMMUNIZATIONS PROTECT AGAINST DIPHTHERIA, TETANUS, PERTUSSIS, POLIOMYELITIS, MEASLES, MUMPS, RUBELLA, PNEUMOCOCCAL PNEUMONIA, SMALLPOX, SEPSIS, MENINGITIS, HEPATITIS B, VARICELLA-ZOSTER, TUBERCULOSIS, CHOLERA, DIARRHEA CAUSED BY ROTAVIRUS, SALMONELLOSIS, AND DENGUE. HOWEVER, THE DEVELOPMENT OF VACCINE TECHNOLOGY IN RECENT YEARS, THE EMERGENCE OF HIV, SARS, AVIAN INFLUENZA, EBOLA, AND ZIKA EMPHASIZES THE NEED FOR GLOBAL PREPAREDNESS FOR A PANDEMIC. THIS ACTIVITY PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF THE INDICATIONS, MECHANISM OF ACTION, METHODS AND TIMING OF ADMINISTRATION, SIGNIFICANT ADVERSE EFFECTS, CONTRAINDICATIONS, TOXICITY, AND MONITORING FOR THE MOST COMMON APPROVED VACCINES SO THAT PROVIDERS CAN ADMINISTER AND MONITOR THEM FOR BOTH INDIVIDUAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH.