Vaccinations: A Clear Benefit Essay -- essays research papers

A clear definition of a vaccination is, â€Å"the generic term for immunization procedures. Immunization is a procedure whereby living or nonliving materials are introduced into the body†¦:† (Nosal, 1999) The concept that people who survive an infectious disease do not get the same disease again is the basis for the administering of vaccinations. Vaccines are normally given to healthy individuals for the prevention of diseases. Vaccines work by using a human host to provide a stimulus to the immune system. Immunization is used for viral and bacterial diseases. Rappuolli reports and predicts, â€Å"Vaccines will not only be used to prevent infections, but also to cure chronic infectious diseases, tumors, diseases and allergies.† (1999) Even though there are risks involved with being vaccinated, there is no doubt that vaccines have been the most effective means of combating deadly infectious diseases throughout the twentieth century. Vaccinations were developed or discovered in 1796 when Edward Jenner, a doctor in England, noted that the farmers infected with materials from cows did not develop small pox, but instead were immune to the disease. Today, vaccinations are available for a variety of life threatening or life altering diseases such as; smallpox, rabies, salmonella, tuberculosis, diphtheria, yellow fever, tetanus, pertussis, polio, influenza, cholera, measles, mumps, rubella, meningococcus, tick-borne encephalitis, pneumococcus, hepatitis B, hepatitis A, varicella, lyme disease, and rotavirus. Vaccines are more commonly given to infants today to immunize early. Already there are more vaccines in development for infectious diseases such as cancer, hepatitis C, papillomavirus, and helicobacter pylori. With these vaccines, tumors will be dramatically decreased. So instead of regarding vaccinations as a painful childhood experience, they should be perceived as tools used in the prevention and cure of disease s. Therefore, the hazards of vaccinations have to be weighed against the benefits of immunization. Immunization has lowered the reported cases of diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, (DPT), measles, mumps, rubella, (MMR), tuberculosis, and meningitis. A notable decrease in the number of cases of measles, hepatitis B, and polio were noticed after vaccinations started being administered. The hepatitis B vaccine was introduced in 1989. Before the vaccine was availabl... ...2, 2005, from Info Track database. Makela, J., Nuorti, P., Peltola, H. (2002). Neurologic disorders after measles-mumps-rubella Vaccination. 110 (5), 957-972. Retrieved March 12, 2005 from Info Trac database. Nossal, Gustav (July 1999) Vaccination. In: Nature Encyclopedia of Life Sciences. London: Nature Publishing Group. http://www/els.net [doi:10.1038/npg.els.0000489] Rappuoli, Rino (August 1999) Vaccinations of Humans. In: Nature Encyclopedia of Life Sciences. London: Nature Publishing Group. http:www.els.net [doi:10.1038/npg.els.0000961] Richards, S. (2004). An update on childhood vaccinations. Primary Health Care, 14(10), 22-25. Retrieved March 12, 2005, from Info Traci database. US nurses oppose smallpox vaccinations (2003). Australian Nursing Journal, 10(8), 13. Retrieved March 12, 2005, from Info Trac database. Zepf, B. (2005) Do childhood vaccinations cause type 1 diabetes? American Family Physician, 71 (3), 583. Retrieved March 12, 2005 from Info Trac database. Zimmerman, R. (2000). Child vaccination, part 1:routine vaccinations. Journal of Family Practice, 49,(9), 22-33. Retrieved March 12, 2005, from EBSCOhost database.