10 Facts on Immunization

1. Immunization prevents between 2-3 million deaths every year:
Immunization prevents deaths every year in all age groups from diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), and measles. It is one of the most successful and cost-effective public health interventions.

2. More children than ever are being reached with immunization:
In 2010, an estimated 109 million children under the age of one were vaccinated with three doses of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP3) vaccine. These children are protected against infectious diseases that can have serious consequences like illness, disability or death.

3. An estimated 19.3 million children under the age of one did not receive DTP3 vaccine:
Seventy percent of these children live in ten countries, and more than half of them live in WHO’s Africa and South-East Asia regions.

4. Over 1 million infants and young children die every year from pneumococcal disease and rotavirus diarrhoea. A large number of these deaths can be prevented through vaccination.

5. Public-private partnerships facilitate the development and introduction of vaccines:
For example, a new vaccine which prevents the primary cause of epidemic meningitis in sub-Saharan Africa, meningococcal A, MenAfriVac, was introduced in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger last year. At the end of 2011. Cameroon, Chad and Nigeria are vaccinating more than 22 million individuals with the vaccine which has the potential to eliminate the leading cause of meningitis epidemics in Africa.

6. The supply of influenza vaccines has been significantly expanded:
The expansion has been possible as a result of WHO supporting the efforts of vaccine manufacturers to produce and license influenza vaccines in 11 developing countries.

7. Global measles mortality has declined by 74%:
Global measles mortality has been reduced from an estimated 535 300 deaths in 2000 to 139 300 in 2010, thanks to intensified vaccination campaigns.

8. Polio cases have decreased by over 99%:
Since 1988, polio cases have decreased by over 99%, from an estimated 350 000 cases to 1352 reported cases in 2010. The reduction is the result of the global effort to eradicate the disease. Only three countries – Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan) – remain polio-endemic, down from more than 125 in 1988.

9. Annual deaths from neonatal tetanus have fallen:
Neonatal tetanus deaths have declined to an estimated 59 000, down from 790 000 deaths in 1988.

10. Immunization provides an opportunity to deliver other life-saving measures:
Immunization not only protects children from vaccine-preventable diseases. It also serves as an opportunity to deliver other life-saving measures, such as vitamin A supplements to prevent malnutrition, insecticide-treated nets for protection against malaria and deworming medicine for intestinal worms. In addition, the benefits of immunization are increasingly being extended across the life course to include adolescents and adults, providing protection against life-threatening diseases such as influenza, meningitis, and cancers that occur in adulthood.

Protecting your child is Your first right. 

Decrease Death, Increase Life.

Do vaccinate your child.

Do Vaccines Work?

Vaccines are the best defense we have against serious, preventable, and sometimes deadly contagious diseases. Vaccines are some of the safest medical products available, but like any other medical product, there may be risks. Accurate information about the value of vaccines as well as their possible side-effects helps people to make informed decisions about vaccination.

How Well Do Vaccines Work?

Vaccines work really well. Of course, no medicine is perfect but most childhood vaccines produce immunity about 90 - 100% of the time.What about the argument made by some people that vaccines don’t work that well . . . that diseases would be going away on their own because of better hygiene or sanitation, even if there were no vaccines?That simply isn’t true.
Certainly, better hygiene and sanitation can help prevent the spread of disease, but the germs that cause disease will still be around. As long as germs still exist, they are they will continue to make people sick.All vaccines must be licensed (approved) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before being used in the United States.

A vaccine must go through extensive testing to show that it works and that it is safe before the FDA will approve it. Among these tests are clinical trials, which compare groups of people who get a vaccine with groups of people who get a "control" (e.g, either a different vaccine or placebo).  

A vaccine is approved only if FDA determines that it is safe and effective for its intended use. If you look at the history of any vaccine-preventable disease, you will virtually always see that the number of cases of disease starts to drop when a vaccine is licensed.

Five Important Reasons to Vaccinate Your Child

                                                     Importance of Vaccination

You want to do what is best for your children. You know about the importance of car seats, baby gates and other ways to keep them safe. But, did you know that one of the best ways to protect your children is to make sure they have all of their vaccinations? 

1. Immunizations can save your child’s life: Because of advances in medical science, your child can be protected against more diseases than ever before. Some diseases that once injured or killed thousands of children, have been eliminated completely and others are close to extinction– primarily due to safe and effective vaccines.

2. Vaccination is very safe and effective: Vaccines are only given to children after a long and careful review by scientists, doctors, and healthcare professionals. Vaccines will involve some discomfort and may cause pain, redness, or tenderness at the site of injection but this is minimal compared to the pain, discomfort, and trauma of the diseases these vaccines prevent. Serious side effects following vaccination, such as severe allergic reaction, are very rare. The disease-prevention benefits of getting vaccines are much greater than the possible side effects for almost all children.

3. Immunization protects others you care about: Children in the U.S. still get vaccine-preventable diseases. In 2010 the U.S. had over 21,000 cases of whooping cough reported and 26 deaths, most in children younger than 6 months. Unfortunately, some babies are too young to be completely vaccinated and some people may not be able to receive certain vaccinations due to severe allergies, weakened immune systems from conditions like leukemia, or other reasons. To help keep them safe, it is important that you and your children who are able to get vaccinated are fully immunized.  This not only protects your family, but also helps prevent the spread of these diseases to your friends and loved ones.

4. Immunizations can save your family time and money: A child with a vaccine-preventable disease can be denied attendance at schools or child care facilities. Some vaccine-preventable diseases can result in prolonged disabilities and can take a financial toll because of lost time at work, medical bills or long-term disability care. In contrast, getting vaccinated against these diseases is a good investment and usually covered by insurance. The Vaccines for Children program is a federally funded program that provides vaccines at no cost to children from low-income families.

5. Immunization protects future generations: Vaccines have reduced and, in some cases, eliminated many diseases that killed or severely disabled people just a few generations ago. For example, smallpox vaccination eradicated that disease worldwide. Your children don’t have to get smallpox shots any more because the disease no longer exists. By vaccinating children against rubella (German measles), the risk that pregnant women will pass this virus on to their fetus or newborn has been dramatically decreased, and birth defects associated with that virus no longer are seen in the United States.

If we continue vaccinating now, and vaccinating completely, parents in the future may be able to trust that some diseases of today will no longer be around to harm their children in the future. 

TB......Most Serious Disease

                                                               Tuberculosis (TB)

BCG, or bacille Calmette-Guerin, is a vaccine for tuberculosis (TB) disease. Many foreign-born persons have been BCG-vaccinated. BCG is used in many countries with a high prevalence of TB to prevent childhood tuberculous mening it is and miliary disease. However, BCG is not generally recommended for use in the United States because of the low risk of infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the variable effectiveness of the vaccine against adult pulmonary TB, and the vaccine’s potential interference with tuberculin skin test reactivity. The BCG vaccine should be considered only for very select persons who meet specific criteria and in consultation with a TB expert.

Recommendations:

Children:
BCG vaccination should only be considered for children who have a negative tuberculin skin test and who are continually exposed, and cannot be separated from, adults who

Are untreated or ineffectively treated for TB disease (if the child cannot be given long-term treatment for infection); or

Have TB caused by strains resistant to isoniazid and rifampin.

Health Care Workers: 

1. BCG vaccination of health care workers should be considered on an individual basis in settings in which
2. A high percentage of TB patients are infected with M. tuberculosis strains resistant to both isoniazid and rifampin
3. There is ongoing transmission of such drug-resistant M. tuberculosis strains to health care workers and subsequent infection is likely; or
4. Comprehensive TB infection-control precautions have been implemented, but have not been successful.

Health care workers considered for BCG vaccination should be counseled regarding the risks and benefits associated with both BCG vaccination and treatment of Latent TB Infection (LTBI).

Contraindications:

Immuno suppression: BCG vaccination should not be given to persons who are immuno suppressed (e.g., persons who are HIV infected) or who are likely to become immuno compromised (e.g., persons who are candidates for organ transplant).

Pregnancy: BCG vaccination should not be given during pregnancy. Even though no harmful effects of BCG vaccination on the fetus have been observed, further studies are needed to prove its safety.

Testing for TB in BCG-Vaccinated Persons:

The tuberculin skin test (TST) and blood tests to detect TB infection are not contraindicated for persons who have been vaccinated with BCG.

1. Tuberculin Skin Test (TST): BCG vaccination may cause a false-positive reaction to the TST, which may complicate decisions about prescribing treatment. The presence or size of a TST reaction in persons who have been vaccinated with BCG does not predict whether BCG will provide any protection against TB disease. Furthermore, the size of a TST reaction in a BCG-vaccinated person is not a factor in determining whether the reaction is caused by LTBI or the prior BCG vaccination. (See below for specific guidance on skin test results.)

2. TB Blood Tests: Blood tests to detect TB infection, unlike the TST, are not affected by prior BCG vaccination and are less likely to give a false-positive result.

Treatment for LTBI in BCG-Vaccinated Persons:

Treatment of LTBI substantially reduces the risk that TB infection will progress to disease. Careful assessment to rule out the possibility of TB disease is necessary before treatment for LTBI is started. Evaluation of TST reactions in persons vaccinated with BCG should be interpreted using the same criteria for those not BCG-vaccinated. Persons in the following high-risk groups should be given treatment for LTBI if their reaction to the TST is at least 5 mm of in duration or they have a positive result using a TB blood test:
HIV-infected persons
Recent contacts to a TB case
Persons with fibrotic changes on chest radio graph consistent with old TB
Patients with organ transplants
Persons who are immuno suppressed for other reasons (e.g., taking the equivalent of >15 mg/day of prednisone for 1 month or longer, taking TNF-a antagonists)

In addition, persons in the following high-risk groups should be considered for treatment of LTBI if their reaction to the TST is at least 10 mm of in duration or they have a positive result using a TB blood test:

Recent arrivals (less than 5 years) from high-prevalence countries
Injection drug users
Residents and employees of high-risk congregate settings (e.g., correctional facilities, nursing homes, homeless shelters, hospitals, and other health care facilities)
Bacteriology laboratory personnel

Persons with clinical conditions that place them at high-risk for developing TB disease (e.g., diabetes)
Children less than 4 years of age, or children and adolescents exposed to adults in high-risk categories

Persons with no known risk factors for TB may be considered for treatment of LTBI if their reaction to the tuberculin test is at least 15 mm of induration or they have a positive result using a TB blood test. Targeted skin testing programs should only be conducted among high-risk groups. All testing activities should be accompanied by a plan for follow-up care for persons with TB infection or disease.

Whooping Cough or Pertussis

                                                  Pertussis (Whooping Cough)

Pertussis, a respiratory illness commonly known as whooping cough, is a very contagious disease caused by a type of bacteria called Bordetella pertussis. Pertussis is found only in humans and is spread from person to person. People with pertussis usually spread the disease by coughing or sneezing while in close contact with others, who then breathe in the pertussis bacteria.Many infants who get pertussis are infected by older siblings, parents or caregivers who might not even know they have the disease.

Symptoms:

Pertussis usually develop within seven to ten days after being exposed, but sometimes not for as long as six weeks.Pertussis causes severe coughing spells, vomiting, and disturbed sleep. It can lead to weight loss, incontinence, rib fractures and passing out from violent coughing. Although you are often exhausted after a coughing fit, you usually appear fairly well in-between. Coughing fits generally become more common and severe as the illness continues, and can occur more often at night. The illness can be milder (less severe) and the typical "whoop" absent in children, teens, and adults who have been vaccinated.

Who gets Pertussis (Whooping Cough)?

Everyone is at risk for pertussis, but it is most severe for babies; more than half of infants younger than one year of age who get the disease are hospitalized. Of infants who are hospitalized with pertussis, one in four get pneumonia (lung infection), one or two in a hundred will have convulsions, and one or two in a hundred will die.Up to five in 100 adolescents and adults with pertussis are hospitalized. Of those patients, up to two in 100are diagnosed with pneumonia.The most common complications in a study of adults with pertussis were:
Weight loss (33%)
Loss of bladder control (28%)
Passing out (6%)
Rib fractures from severe coughing (4%)

Vaccine:

DTaP

FOR INFANTS AND CHILDREN

Children should get five doses of diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccine, one dose at each of the following ages:
2 months
4 months
6 months
15 through
18 months
4 through 6 years
DTaP vaccine may be given at the same visit as other vaccines.DTaP is not licensed for anyone over the age of six. Children older than six, adolescents, and adults may get a similar vaccine, Tdap.DTaP replaced an older version of the vaccine, called DTP.

Tdap

FOR PRE-TEENS, TEENS, AND ADULTS

Tdap is a tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis vaccine given to adolescents and adults as a one-time shot, or after exposure to tetanus under some circumstances. This is in place of one of the Td shots you would get every ten years. Adolescents 11 through 18 years of age (preferably at age 11-12 years) and adults 19 or older – who did not receive Tdap in adolescence – should receive a single dose of Tdap. Tdap is especially important for those in close contact with infants.Tdap should also be given to 7 through 10 year olds who are not fully immunized against pertussis.Pregnant women should receive a dose of Tdap during each pregnancy, preferably at 27 through 36 weeks to maximize that amount of protective antibodies passed to the baby, but the vaccine can be safely given at any time during pregnancy.Tdap can be given no matter when Td (tetanus-diphtheria vaccine) was last received.

Are you using contaminated water or food?

                                                                          Typhoid

Typhoid (typhoid fever) is a serious disease. It is caused by bacteria called SalmonellaTyphi. Typhoid causes a high fever, weakness, stomach pains, headache, loss of appetite, and sometimes a rash. If it is not treated, it can kill up to 30 percent of people who get it.Some people who get typhoid become “carriers,” who can spread the disease to others.Generally, people get typhoid from contaminated food or water.

Typhoid strikes about 21 million people a year around the world and kills about 200,000.

Vaccine:

There are two vaccines to prevent typhoid. One is an inactivated (killed) vaccinegotten as a shot, and the other is live, attenuated (weakened) vaccine, which is taken orally (by mouth).Typhoid vaccine is recommended for:
Travelers to parts of the world where typhoid is common
(NOTE: typhoid vaccine is not 100 percent effective and is not a substitute for being careful about what you eat or drink.)
People in close contact with a typhoid carrier

Laboratory workers who work with Salmonella Typhi bacteria

INACTIVATED TYPHOID VACCINE (SHOT)

Should not be given to children younger than two years of age
One dose provides protection. It should be given at least two weeks before travel to allow the vaccine time to work.
A booster dose is needed every two years for people who remain at risk.

LIVE TYPHOID VACCINE (ORAL)

Should not be given to children younger than six years of age
Four doses, given two days apart, are needed for protection. The last dose should be given at least 1 week before travel to allow the vaccine time to work.
A booster dose is needed every five years for people who remain at risk.
Either vaccine may be given at the same time as other vaccines.

Soil can turns dangerous.......can leads to Tetanus

                                           Tetanus (Lockjaw)

Tetanus is an infection caused by bacteria. When the bacteria invade the body, they produce a toxin, or poison, that causes painful muscle contractions. Tetanus infection mainly affects the neck and abdomen. Tetanus is also called "lockjaw" because it often causes a person's neck and jaw muscles to lock, making it hard to open the mouth or swallow. It can also cause breathing problems, severe muscle spasms, seizures, and paralysis. Complete recovery can take months. If left untreated, tetanus can be fatal.Tetanus is different from other vaccine-preventable diseases in that it does not spread from person to person. The bacteria are usually found in soil, dust and manure and enter the body through breaks in the skin – usually cuts or puncture wounds.

Symptoms:

Early symptoms: Lockjaw, stiffness in the neck and abdomen, and difficulty swallowing.
Later symptoms: severe muscle spasms, generalized tonic seizure-like activity, severe autonomic nervous system disorders.

Vaccination:

DTaP or DT

FOR INFANTS AND CHILDREN

Children should get five doses of diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellularpertussis (DTaP) vaccine, one dose at each of the following ages:
2 months
4 months
6 months
15 through 18 months
4 through 6 years of age

DT does not contain pertussis, and is used as a substitute for DTaP for children who cannot tolerate pertussis vaccine.DTaP vaccine may be given at the same visit as other vaccines.DTaP is not licensed for anyone over the age of six. Children older than six, adolescents, and adults may get a similar vaccine, Tdap or Td.

FOR ADOLESCENTS AND ADULTS

Td is a tetanus-diphtheria vaccine given to adolescents and adults as a booster shot every ten years, or after an exposure to tetanus under some circumstances. Tdap is similar to Td but also containing protection against pertussis. Tdap should be given as a one-time booster in place of Td. Tdap is especially important for those in close contact with infants.

Adolescents 11 through 18 years of age (preferably at age 11-12 years) and adults 19 years of age and older should receive a single dose of Tdap.Tdap should also be given to 7- through 10-year-olds who are not fully immunized against pertussis.
Pregnant women should receive a dose of Tdap during each pregnancy, preferably at 27 through 36 weeks to maximize that amount of protective antibodies passed to the baby, but the vaccine can be safely given at any time during pregnancy.
New mothers who have never gotten Tdap should get a dose as soon as possible after delivery.Tdap can be given no matter when Td (tetanus-diphtheria vaccine) was last received.

Rubella can affect you, your child and your unborn baby

                                                                   Rubella

Rubella—also known as German measles or three-day measles—is an infectious viral disease.  But don't confuse rubella with measles, which is sometimes called rubeola. The two illnesses share similar features, including a characteristic red rash, but they are caused by different viruses.Rubella virus lives in the mucus in the nose and throat of infected persons. Rubella is usually spread to others through sneezing or coughing.

Symptoms:

In young children, rubella is usually mild, with few symptoms. They may have a mild rash, which  usually starts on the face and then spreads to the neck, chest, arms, and legs, and it lasts for about three days. A child with rubella might also have a slight fever or other symptoms like a cold.  

Adults are more likely to experience headache, pink eye, and general discomfort one to five days before the rash appears. Adults also tend to have more complications, including sore, swollen joints, and, less commonly, arthritis, especially in women. A brain infection called encephalitis is a rare, but serious, complication affecting adults with rubella.However, the most serious consequence from rubella infection is the harm it can cause to a pregnant woman's unborn baby.

Who gets Rubella?

Anyone can get rubella. Rubella infection during pregnancy, especially in the first 12 weeks, can lead to miscarriage, premature delivery, and serious birth defects, including heart problems, hearing and sight problems, cognitive impairment, and liver or spleen damage.Preventing rubella infection through vaccination is the best way to protect pregnant women’s unborn babies. Any woman who might become pregnant should be vaccinated, unless a blood test—an antibody titer—shows she is already immune to the disease.

Vaccination:

FOR INFANTS AND CHILDREN

Rubella vaccine is included in MMR, a combination vaccine that provides protection against three viral diseases: measles, mumps, and rubella.

The first dose at 12–15 months of age
The second dose before entering school, at 4–6 years of age

Immunizing your child on schedule is the best way to protect your child and others, including pregnant women and their unborn babies, from rubella infection.

FOR ADULTS

Anyone born during or after 1957 that has not had rubella or has not been vaccinated against the disease should receive at least one dose of MMR vaccine. The simple act of getting vaccinated against rubella may protect you and those around you from getting infected, and it may protect an unborn baby from death or serious birth defects.However, pregnant women should wait to get MMR vaccine until after they have given birth. Women should not become pregnant for 28 days following the receipt of the MMR vaccine or any of its components. (The combination MMRV vaccine is not licensed for those over 12 years old.)

Rotavirus......another serious disease

                                                                    Rotavirus

Rotavirus is a virus that causes gastroenteritis (inflammation of the stomach and intestines). The rotavirus disease causes severe watery diarrhea, often with vomiting, fever, and abdominal pain. In babies and young children, it can lead to dehydration (loss of body fluids). Globally, it causes more than a half a million deaths each year in children younger than five years of age.Vaccinated and unvaccinated children may develop rotavirus disease more than once because there are many different types of rotavirus and because neither vaccine nor natural infection provides full immunity (protection) from future infections. Usually a person’s first infection with rotavirus causes the most severe symptoms.

Who gets Rotavirus?

Rotavirus disease is most common in infants and young children, but adults and older children can also become infected with rotavirus. Each year in the United States in the pre-vaccine period, rotavirus was responsible for more than 400,000 doctor visits; more than 200,000 emergency room visits; 55,000 to 70,000 hospitalizations; and 20 to 60 deaths in children younger than five years of age. 

Symptoms:

Once a person has been exposed to rotavirus, it takes about two days for symptoms to appear.Symptoms include:
Fever
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Abdominal pain
Red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis)
Feeling run down, achy (malaise)
Tiny white spots with bluish-white centers found inside the mouth (Koplik’s spots)
Additional symptoms include loss of appetite and dehydration (loss of body fluids), which can be especially harmful for infants and young children. 

Vaccination:

Two different rotavirus vaccines are currently licensed for use in infants in the United States. The vaccines are
1. RotaTeq® (RV5) and
2. Rotarix® (RV1).

Before being licensed, both vaccines were tested in clinical trials and shown to be safe and effective. Both vaccines are oral (taken by mouth and swallowed), not a shot.There are two brands of rotavirus vaccine. A baby should get either two or three doses, depending on which brand is used.The doses are recommended at these ages:
First Dose: 2 months of age
Second Dose: 4 months of age
Third Dose: 6 months of age (if needed)

The first dose may be given as early as six weeks of age, and should be given by age 14 weeks 6 days. The last dose should be given by eight months of age.Rotavirus vaccine may be given at the same time as other childhood vaccines. Babies who get the vaccine may be fed normally afterward.

Two Drops of Life........

                                                                       Polio

Poliomyelitis (polio) is a highly infectious disease caused by a virus that invades the nervous system. Polio is an infectious disease caused by a virus that lives in the throat and intestinal tract. It is most often spread through person-to-person contact with the stool of an infected person and may also be spread through oral/nasal secretions (such as saliva).Less than one percent of polio cases result in permanent paralysis of the limbs (usually the legs). Of those paralyzed, five to ten percent die when the paralysis strikes the respiratory muscles. Paralysis can lead to permanent disability and death.

Who gets Polio?

Polio, or poliomyelitis, can strike at any age. Thanks to effective vaccine, the United States has been polio-free since 1979. But poliovirus still occurs in a few countries in Asia and Africa. In the late 1940s to the early 1950s, polio crippled an average of over 35,000 people in the United States each year; it was one of the most feared diseases of the twentieth century. Thanks to the polio vaccine, dedicated health care professionals, and parents who vaccinate their children on schedule, polio has been eliminated in this country for over 30 years. People most at risk are those who never had polio vaccine, those who never received all the recommended vaccine doses, and those traveling to areas where polio is still common. 

Symptoms:

Up to 95 percent of persons infected with polio will have no symptoms. About four to eight percent of infected persons have minor symptoms such as:
Fever
Fatigue
Nausea
Headache
Flu-like symptoms
Stiffness in the neck and back
Pain in the limbs, which often resolves completely 

Vaccination :

There are two types of vaccine that protect against polio:
1. Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) and
2. Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV).

FOR CHILDREN

Most people should get polio vaccine when they are children.Children should be vaccinated with four doses of inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) at the following ages:
A dose at 2 months
A dose at 4 months
A dose at 6-18 months
A booster dose at 4-6 years

FOR ADULTS

Most adults do not need polio vaccine because they were already vaccinated as children. But three groups of adults are at higher risk and should consider polio vaccination in the following situations:
You are traveling to polio-endemic or high-risk areas of the world.
You are working in a laboratory and handling specimens that might contain polioviruses.
You are a healthcare worker treating patients who could have polio or have close contact with a person who could be infected with polio virus.
Adults in these three groups who have never been vaccinated against polio should get three doses of IPV:
The first dose at any time, The second dose 1 to 2 months later, The third dose 6 to 12 months after the second.

Pneumococcal and Vaccination

                                                        Pneumococcal Disease

Pneumococcal disease is an infection caused by a type of bacteria called Streptococcus pneumoniae. There are different types of pneumococcal disease, such as pneumococcal pneumonia, blood infections, brain infections and middle ear infections. Pneumococcal disease is a leading cause of vaccine-preventable illness and death in the United States.Pneumococcus bacteria is in many people's noses and throats and is spread by coughing, sneezing, or contact with respiratory secretions.

Symptoms:

Fever, Cough, Shortness of breath, Chest pain, Stiff neck, FeverMental confusion and disorientation, Visual sensitivity to light. In some cases, it can result in long-term problems, like brain damage, deafness, and limb loss. 

Who gets Pneumococcal disease?

Anyone can get pneumococcal disease, but some people are at greater risk than others:People 65 years and older, Very young children, People with certain health problems, People with a weakened immune system, Smokers, Adults with asthma.

Vaccination:

There are currently two types of pneumococcal vaccines:
1. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) 2. Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23). 

1. PCV13:

FOR INFANTS AND YOUNG CHILDREN

PCV13 is recommended as a series of four doses, one dose at each of these ages: 2 months, 4 months, 6 months and12 through 15 months
Children who miss their shots at these ages should still get the vaccine. The number of doses and the intervals between doses will depend on the child’s age.

FOR ADULTS

One dose of PCV13 is recommended for adults 19 years and older with the following medical conditions that put them at high risk for pneumococcal disease:

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
leaks Cochlear implant
Sickle cell disease and other hemaglobinopathies
Functional or anatomic
asplenia Congenital or acquired immunodeficiencies
HIV infection
Chronic renal failure
Nephrotic syndrome
LeukemiaHodgkin's disease
Generalized malignancy
Long-term immunosuppressive therapy
Solid organ transplant
Multiple myeloma

Adults with one of the above listed conditions who have not received any pneumococcal vaccine, should get a dose of PCV13 first and should also continue to receive the recommended doses of PPSV23.

2. PPSV23:

FOR CHILDREN, PRE-TEENS, TEENS, AND ADULTS

Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) protects against 23 types of pneumococcal bacteria, including those most likely to cause serious disease.Most healthy adults who get the vaccine develop protection to most or all of these types within two to three weeks of getting the shot. Very old people and people with some long-term illnesses might not respond as well, or at all.  

One dose of PPSV23 is recommended for:

All adults 65 years of age and older

Anyone two through 64 years of age who has a long- term health problem such as: heart disease, lung disease, sickle cell disease diabetes alcoholism cirrhosis leaks of cerebrospinal fluid or cochlear implant

Anyone two through 64 years of age who has a disease or condition that lowers the body’s resistance to infection, such as: Hodgkin’s disease, lymphoma or leukemia, kidney failure, multiple myeloma, nephrotic syndrome, HIV infection or AIDS, damaged spleen, or no spleen, organ transplant

Anyone two through 64 years of age who is taking a drug or treatment that lowers the body’s resistance of infection, such as: long-term steroids, certain cancer drugs, radiation therapy

Any adult 19 through 64 years of age who is a smoker or has asthma
People two through 64 years of age with certain chronic health conditions may be recommended to receive a second dose, five years after their first dose. 

Even Your Respiration Can Spread Dangerous Virus

                                                             Meningococcal

Meningococcal disease is caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis, also called meningococcus. Some people carry these bacteria in the back of their nose with no signs or symptoms of disease. But sometimes these bacteria can invade the body causing certain illnesses, which collectively are known as meningococcal disease.Neisseria meningitidis are spread through the exchange of respiratory and throat secretions (i.e., coughing, kissing). The bacteria are not spread by casual contact or by simply breathing the air where a person with meningococcal disease has been.The two most severe and common illnesses caused by Neisseria meningitidis includemeningitis and septicemia.

The symptoms of meningococcal meningitis can appear quickly or over several days. Typically they develop within three to seven days after exposure.In newborns and infants, the classic symptoms of fever, headache, and neck stiffness may be absent or difficult to detect. Infants with meningitis may appear slow or inactive, have vomiting, be irritable, or be feeding poorly. As the disease progresses, patients of any age may have seizures.Meningococcal meningitis can be fatal and should always be viewed as a medical emergency. About ten percent of infected people die from the disease. In non-fatal cases, those affected experience long-term disabilities, such as brain damage or deafness. Preventing the disease through the use of meningococcal vaccine is important.

Who gets Meningococcal Disease?

Anyone can get meningococcal disease. But it is most common in infants younger than one year of age and people with certain medical conditions, such as lack of a spleen. College freshmen who live in dormitories, and teenagers and young adults 16 through 21 years old are at increased risk of getting meningococcal disease.

Vaccination

FOR CHILDREN

Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4) is recommended for children 9 months through ten years of age who are at increased risk for meningococcal disease.  Children may be at increased risk due to certain medical conditions or because they are traveling to a country with high rates of meningococcal disease. Booster doses may be recommended if your child remains at increased risk.

FOR PRETEENS/TEENS

Meningococcal conjugate vaccine is routinely recommended for all 11 through 18 year olds. The first dose should be given at 11-12 years of age and a booster dose at 16 years of age.

Do You Know About Measles?

                            Do You Know About Measles?

Measles is a respiratory disease caused by a virus. The disease of measles and the virus that causes it share the same name. The disease is also called rubeola.

Measles virus lives in the mucus in the nose and throat of the infected person. When that person sneezes or coughs, droplets spray into the air. The droplets can get into other people’s noses or throats when they breathe or put their fingers in their mouth or nose after touching an infected surface. The virus can live on infected surfaces for up to two hours.

Measles causes fever, runny nose, cough and a rash all over the body. About one out of ten children with measles also gets an ear infection, and up to one out of 20 gets pneumonia. About one out of 1,000 gets encephalitis, and one or two out of 1,000 die. Measles can also make a pregnant woman have a miscarriage, give birth prematurely, or have a low-birth-weight baby. Other rash-causing diseases often confused with measles include roseola and rubella (German measles).

Symptoms --- The symptoms of measles generally begin about 7-14 days after a person is infected, and include: Blotchy rash, Fever, Cough,  Runny nose, Red  watery eyes (conjunctivitis), Feeling run down, achy (malaise),  Tiny white spots with bluish-white centres found inside the mouth (Koplik’s spots).

Measles remains a common disease in many countries throughout the world, including some developed countries in Europe and Asia. While the disease is almost gone from the United States, measles still kills nearly 200,000 people each year globally.

Who gets Measles?----Anyone can get measles. It is so contagious that anyone who is exposed to it and is not immune will probably get the disease. Complications from measles are still dangerous and occur more commonly in children younger than five years of age and adults 20 years of age or older.

Measles is the most deadly of all childhood rash/fever illnesses. The disease spreads very easily, so it is important to protect against infection. Getting vaccinated is the best way to prevent measles.

Vaccination----

For infants and children: Measles vaccine is usually administered as MMR, a combination vaccine that provides protection against three viral diseases: measles, mumps, and rubella. Two doses are recommended for children:  The first dose at 12–15 months of age The second dose before entering school, at 4–6 years of age.

For adults: Anyone born during or after 1957 who has not had measles or been vaccinated is at risk and should get at least one dose of MMR vaccine. Two doses are recommended for adults who are at higher risk, such as:

College students, trade school students, or other students beyond high school, Those who work in a hospital or other medical facility, International travelers or those who are passengers on a cruise ship, Women of childbearing age, However, pregnant women should wait to get MMR vaccine until after they have given birth. Women should not become pregnant for 28 days following the receipt of the MMR vaccine or any of its components. (The combination MMRV vaccine is not licensed for those over 12 years old).

Mumps can get serious...if ignored.

What is Mumps?

Mumps is a contagious disease that is caused by the mumps virus. The mumps virus affects the saliva glands, located between the ear and jaw, and may cause puffy cheeks and swollen glands.Like the common cold or flu, the mumps virus spreads in the air from an infected person’s cough or sneeze. A child also can get infected with mumps by coming in contact with an object, like a toy, that has mumps virus on it. An infected person is most likely to spread mumps one to two days before symptoms of swollen glands appear. Infected people can spread mumps for up to five days after symptoms appear. Symptoms usually appear about 16 to 18 days after being exposed to someone who was contagious. The most common symptoms include: Fever Headache Muscle aches Tiredness Loss of appetite Swollen and tender salivary glands under the ears or jaw on one or both sides of the face.

Who gets Mumps?

Anyone who is not immune from either previous mumps infection or from vaccination can get mumps. Before the routine vaccination program was introduced in the United States, mumps was a common illness in infants, children and young adults. Because most people have now been vaccinated, mumps has become a rare disease in the United States.Mumps virus usually causes fever, general discomfort, and (in most, but not all cases) the characteristic swollen jaw. However, complications can occur and might be more severe in teenagers and adults. Mumps can cause headache and stiff neck (called meningitis), inflammation of the testicles (called orchitis), deafness, and, in rare cases, inflammation of the brain (called encephalitis), which can lead to permanent disabilities or even death.
Mumps is an infectious disease caused by a virus that can lead to serious complications, especially for adults and pregnant women. Getting vaccinated is the best way to prevent mumps.

VACCINATION:

The mumps vaccine was licensed in 1967 and is usually administered as part of the MMR vaccine. MMR is a combination vaccine that provides protection from three viral diseases: measles, mumps, and rubella.

For children: The first dose at 12–15 months of age The second dose before entering school, at 4–6 years of ageYour child’s health care provider may also offer the MMRV vaccine, a combination vaccine that provides protection against measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (chickenpox). MMRV vaccine is licensed for children 12 months to 12 years of age.

FOR ADULTS

Anyone born during or after 1957 who has not had mumps or been vaccinated is at risk and should get at least one dose of MMR vaccine. Two doses are recommended for adults who are at higher risk, such as College students, trade school students, or other students beyond high school Those who work in a hospital or other medical facility International travelers or those who are passengers on a cruise ship Women of childbearing age However, pregnant women should wait to get MMR vaccine until after they have given birth.

Hepatitis B

                                                                   Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is caused by the hepatitis B virus or HBV. Like hepatitis A, it may start as an acute disease, causing a mild illness that lasts for a few weeks. But in some people, especially infants, the hepatitis B virus lingers, causing a lifelong chronic illness that causes long-term liver problems. Even people who have had the disease for 20 or 30 years without symptoms are at risk for serious liver problems, such as cirrhosis or liver cancer.
Hepatitis B is spread when blood, semen, or other bodily fluid of someone who has it enters the body of someone who doesn't. An infected mother can pass the disease on to her child at birth. You can also get the disease by:
Having unprotected sex with an infected partner, Sharing needles, syringes, or other drug paraphernalia, Using something that may contain an infected person's blood, such as a razor or toothbrush, Coming in direct contact with the blood of someone who has the disease, Being exposed to blood from needle sticks or other sharp instruments.
Hepatitis B is not spread through food or water, and you can't get it from sharing eating utensils, hugging, kissing, holding hands, coughing, or sneezing. And if you are an infected mother, you can't pass it on to your child through breastfeeding.

Symptoms:

Children younger than age 6 who have hepatitis B often have no symptoms. In older children and adults, symptoms of acute hepatitis B include:

Fever, Fatigue, Loss of appetite, Nausea, Vomiting, Abdominal pain, Dark urine, Clay-coloured bowel movements, Joint pain, Jaundice
Close to 90% of infants who become infected with HBV will develop chronic hepatitis B and carry the disease with them for life.

Vaccine:

Hepatitis B vaccine is safe and effective and is usually given as 3-4 shots over a 6-month period.
Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for:

All infants, starting with the first dose of hepatitis B vaccine at birth, All children and adolescents younger than 19 years of age who have not been vaccinated, People whose sex partners have hepatitis B, Sexually active persons who are not in a long-term, mutually monogamous relationship, Persons seeking evaluation or treatment for a sexually transmitted disease, Men who have sexual contact with other men, People who share needles, syringes, or other drug-injection equipment, People who have close household contact with someone infected with the hepatitis B virus, Health care and public safety workers at risk for exposure to blood or blood-contaminated body fluids on the job, People with end-stage renal disease, including predialysis, hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, and home dialysis patients, Residents and staff of facilities for developmentally disabled persons, Travellers to regions with moderate or high rates of hepatitis B, People with chronic liver disease, People with HIV infection, Anyone who wishes to be protected from hepatitis B virus infection.

For children and adolescents: All children should get their first dose of hepatitis B vaccine at birth and complete the vaccine series by 6–18 months of age. Hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for all babies so that they will be protected from a serious but preventable disease. Babies and young children are at much greater risk for developing a chronic infection if infected, but the vaccine can prevent this. All children and adolescents younger than 19 years of age who have not yet gotten the vaccine should also be vaccinated.

Vaccines of Hepatitis A and B

Vaccines of Hepatitis A and B

Hepatitis A and hepatitis B are closely related diseases. Hepatitis is marked by liver inflammation, and the consequences of getting the disease are potentially serious and, in some cases, fatal. There are safe and effective vaccines that can prevent hepatitis A and hepatitis B. There is even a combination vaccine that can protect against both diseases.

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A is an acute liver disease that's caused by the hepatitis A virus or HAV. The virus is present in the stool of someone who has the disease and is commonly spread by close personal contact. If one member of a family has hepatitis A, he or she can easily pass the disease to others living in the same household. Commonly associated with unsanitary conditions, the virus can also be spread through ingesting food or water that's been contaminated with HAV. Although it's less common, it's also possible for the virus to be passed on in blood from an infected person.

Symptoms of HAV infection include a mild flu-like illness, jaundice, and severe stomach pains and diarrhea. Approximately 20% of people with symptoms need to be hospitalized, and three to five people out of every 1,000 cases die from the disease. Most children -- about 90% -- under the age of 6 who develop hepatitis A are symptom-free. But even though they don't appear to be ill, the virus is still present in their stool, and they can pass the disease on to others.

Vaccination

Hepatitis A vaccination is recommended for all children age 12 months and older, for travellers to certain countries, and for people at high risk for infection with the virus.

The hepatitis A vaccine is given as two shots, six months apart. The hepatitis A vaccine also comes in a combination form, containing both hepatitis A and B vaccine, that can be given to persons 18 years of age and older. This form is given as three shots, over a period of six months or as three shots over one month and a booster shot at 12 months.

For children: The first dose should be given at 12-23 months of age. Children who are not vaccinated by two years of age can be vaccinated at later visits.

For travellers: The first dose of hepatitis A vaccine is recommended for healthy international travellers younger than 40 years of age at any time before departure.

For others: The hepatitis A vaccine series may be started whenever a person is at risk of infection:

Men who have sexual contact with other men, Users of certain illegal drugs, both injection and non-injection, Family and caregivers before arrival of international adoptees, People with chronic (lifelong) liver diseases, such as hepatitis B or hepatitis C, People who are treated with clotting-factor concentrates, People who work with hepatitis A infected animals or in a hepatitis A research laboratory.

Haemophilus Influenzae type b (Hib)

Haemophilus Influenzae type b (Hib)

Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) is a bacterium that can infect the outer lining of the brain causing meningitis. Hib is transmitted from person to person through mucus droplets that are spread by coughing or sneezing. Invasive Hib disease occurs most often at three months to three years of age, peaking at six to seven months of age. The disease is uncommon after age five years.

Hib can cause a wide variety of serious infections, including pneumonia, severe throat swelling that makes breathing difficult (epiglottitis), and infections of blood, bones, joints, and the covering of the heart. Complications of Hib meningitis include blindness, deafness, mental retardation, learning disabilities, and death. About 5% of children (500 out of every 10,000) with Hib meningitis die despite antibiotic treatment.

Who should receive the vaccine?

Due to the high risk of disease in children, all children younger than five years should receive the Hib vaccine, beginning at two months of age.

Unimmunized children are at increased risk of developing Hib when they are:

Daycare attendees, Household contacts of someone with Hib, Those with a low socioeconomic status, African-American, Native American, Immuno compromised because of sickle-cell disease, leukemia, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, or the absence of the spleen

Known Side Effects

Approximately 25% of children who receive the Hib vaccine experience mild side effects such as pain, redness, or swelling at the site of the shot, while more serious reactions are infrequent.

Studies have shown that children who receive the Hib vaccine in combination with or at the same time as the DTaP vaccine are no more likely to experience side effects than children who receive only the DTaP vaccine.

The VSD conducted an observational study of the combination Hib vaccine, DTaP-IPV-Hib (Pentacel), for the period September 2008–January 2011. Compared with children who received DTaP-containing control vaccine (i.e., without Hib), children aged 1–2 years who received DTaP-IPV-Hib vaccine had an elevated risk for fever.

These are really very dangerous diseases as you can see their side effects. Now every nation is taking prevention and vaccination of these diseases. We as a human needs to take care of our children. Its our responsibility to spread the words against these serious diseases.

Vaccination of Diphtheria

Diphtheria once was a major cause of illness and death among children. Diphtheria death rates range from about 20% for those under ages five and over age 40, to 5-10% for those aged 5-40 years. Death rates were likely higher before the 20th century. Diphtheria was the third leading cause of death in children in England and Wales in the 1930s.

Since the introduction of effective immunization, starting in the 1920s, diphtheria rates have dropped dramatically in the United States and other countries that vaccinate widely. Between 2004 and 2008, no cases of diphtheria were recorded in the United States. However, the disease continues to play a role globally. In 2007, 4,190 cases of diphtheria were reported.

Transmission and Symptoms

Diphtheria is transmitted from person to person, usually via respiratory droplets. The infection is caused by bacteria called Corynebacterium diphtheriae. An infected person, unless treated with antibiotics, is infectious for two to three weeks. Symptoms include sore throat, loss of appetite, and fever. The most notable feature of diphtheria infection, however, is the formation of a thick gray substance called a pseudomembrane over the nasal tissues, tonsils, larynx, and/or pharynx.

The pseudomembrane sticks to tissues and may obstruct breathing. The toxin itself may travel to the heart, muscle, kidneys, and liver, where it may temporarily or permanently damage these organs.

Diphtheria vaccination

In total, children should receive five doses of the diphtheria vaccination. It's usually combined with other vaccines. For most people, five doses provide a good level of protection against diphtheria for the rest of their life.

Babies: All babies are offered vaccination against diphtheria as part of the 5-in-1 vaccine that is given when they're two, three and four months old. The 5-in-1 vaccine, also known as the DTaP/IPV/Hib vaccine, also protects against: Tetanus, whooping cough, polio and Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b).

Pre-school children: A booster vaccine against diphtheria is given as part of the 4-in-1pre-school booster (also called the DTaP/IPV vaccine) to children who are about three years and four months old. The 4-in-1 vaccine protects against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and polio.

Teenagers: A final booster dose of diphtheria vaccine is given as part of the 3-in-1 teenage booster (also called the Td/IPV vaccine) to children when they're 13 to 18 years old. Th 3-in-1 vaccine protects against diphtheria, tetanus and polio.

Travel vaccination against diphtheria: Further booster diphtheria vaccinations may be required if you're going to live or work in parts of the world where diphtheria is widespread. You should have a booster dose if your last dose was more than 10 years ago.

Regions known to have high rates of diphtheria include:

·         Sub-Saharan Africa (all the countries south of the Sahara Desert, particularly Nigeria)

·         India

·         Nepal

·         Bangladesh

·         Indonesia

·         Philippines

·         Vietnam

·         Laos

·         Papua New Guinea

·         Brazil

·         Iraq

·         Afghanistan

Chickenpox and its Prevention

Chickenpox and its Prevention

   Most children with chickenpox completely recover. But it can be serious, even deadly, for babies, adolescents, adults, and people with weakened immune systems. Get vaccinated if you are not protected against chickenpox.

Chickenpox is a very contagious disease. You or your child may be at risk if you have never had chickenpox or have never been vaccinated. Chickenpox causes a blister-like rash, itching, tiredness, and fever. This can make you feel very sick and uncomfortable.

Classic chickenpox symptoms are:

•Red, itchy rash that usually starts on the face, chest, and back then spreads to the rest of the body

•Fluid-filled blisters, resulting from the rash, which break and crust over

Before there was a vaccine, chickenpox was common in the United States. Each year, about 4 million people got chickenpox. Between 10,500 and 13,000 people were hospitalized, and 100 to 150 people died because of chickenpox.

Chickenpox Vaccine:

•Children get the first dose of chickenpox vaccine at 12 through 15 months old and the second dose at age 4 through 6 years.

•People 13 years of age and older who are not immune (protected) to chickenpox or have never had the disease should get two doses of chickenpox vaccine at least 28 days apart.

If you or your child only got one dose in the past, check with your doctor about getting a second dose.

Chickenpox can cause:

•dehydration

•pneumonia

•bleeding problems

•brain infection or inflammation

•bacterial infections of the skin and soft tissues in children including Group A streptococcal infections

•blood stream infections (sepsis)

•toxic shock syndrome

•bone infections

•joint infections

•death

Two doses of chickenpox vaccine are very effective at preventing severe disease, complications, and death. Although rare, you can still get chickenpox if you have been vaccinated, but the symptoms are usually not as severe. Chickenpox vaccine is safer than getting the disease. Make sure you and your children are protected.

Also, when you get vaccinated, you protect others in your community. This is especially important for people who cannot get vaccinated.

Childhood disease and their vaccinations

    India is improving its health improvement programmes day by day. Its been 30 years but still lives is continue to lost in early childhood diseases. More than 2 million children die every year from infections. Most infant deaths occur  in the first month of life.

   Children in India continue to lose their life due to various childhood diseases. Most common diseases in India are:
1. Chickenpox
2. Diphtheria
3. Haemophilus influenzae type B (HIB)
4. Hepatitis A
5. Hepatitis B
6. Measles
7. Meningococcus
8. Mumps
9. Pneumococcus
10. Polio
11. Rotavirus
12. Rubella
13. Tunerculosis
14. Tetanus
15. Typhoid
16. Whooping cough (pertussis)

  As you can see the ample of disease which can be occur in early childhood. We need to take proper measure and prevention to protect the children. Large chunk of population is not aware of these kind of disease and its vaccination programme. We need to make aware as much as people we can. It's a duty of parents to take care of their child from various diseases. Over a period of 30 years,  now India have a proper treatment facilities of mentioned diseases.

   I am writing this blog to educate most of the people about childhood diseases. Now its our duty to spread awareness about disease and its immunization. From tomorrow I will post the details of each disease and its vaccination program in India.