General information and FAQ
There are many ways to protect your child as he or she grows, but when it comes to protection against certain childhood diseases, the medical community strongly recommends vaccination.
In a number of countries, these diseases have practically disappeared due to vaccination.
What is vaccines made of?
Most vaccines contain purified fragments taken from killed bacteria/viruses, but in a very weak form that do not cause disease.
How do vaccines work?
The vaccines enable the body to initiate an antibody response, and it is these antibodies that protect against disease. They do this by preventing the organism causing the disease from doing so or decrease the severity and then aid in eliminating the disease from the body.
Without a vaccine you have to get sick first in order for your body to develop an immune response (protection). There are two basic types of vaccines, live attenuated vaccines and inactivated/killed vaccines.
What is a live vaccine?
Is a vaccine that contains a modified disease producing organism. Once injected into the body it replicates to stimulate an immune response. The vaccine is attenuated/weakened so that it does not cause the significant illness.
Live virus vaccines:
MMR
Varicella (chicken pox)
Polio (OPV – drops)
Live bacteria vaccine:
BCG (TB vaccination given at birth)
Live vaccines usually cause side effects similar to a mild case of the illness it is protecting against.
What is an inactivated vaccine?
For this vaccine the disease producing organism is grown and then killed or inactivated by heat and or chemicals. When injected it cannot replicate and therefore not produce the disease it is being used for. These vaccines are unlikely to give rise to lifelong immunity so boosters are necessary if high levels of immunity are to be maintained.
Why are vaccines given to babies?
Certain vaccine-preventable diseases can infect babies within the first few months of life. Vaccinating small babies helps provide them with protection when they need it.
Are vaccines safe?
In the last decade, numerous changes in vaccine production and administration have reduced the number of side-effects and resulted in safer vaccines. A more purified acellular pertussis (acP) vaccine has been licenced for use in South Africa and has replaced the whole-cell pertusses vaccine used in DTP-Hib (diphtheria, tetanus, and haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine).
What about combination vaccines?
Combination vaccines confer protection against more diseases earlier in life. They also decrease the total number of injections a baby needs to have per visit to the clinic.
Can vaccines cause autism?
Recent studies have demonstrated that there is no relationship, confirmed or demonstrated, between vaccines and autism.
What side-effects might my child experience?
The most typical include a slight fever, irritability and soreness at the injection sight. Although very rare, vaccines can cause more severe side effects.
The following website, is the best one I have come across, it has photos of all the different childhood diseases and a lot of information on incubation periods and other frequently asked questions.
http://www.vaccineinformation.org/There are many ways to protect your child as he or she grows, but when it comes to protection against certain childhood diseases, the medical community strongly recommends vaccination.
In a number of countries, these diseases have practically disappeared due to vaccination.
What is vaccines made of?
Most vaccines contain purified fragments taken from killed bacteria/viruses, but in a very weak form that do not cause disease.
How do vaccines work?
The vaccines enable the body to initiate an antibody response, and it is these antibodies that protect against disease. They do this by preventing the organism causing the disease from doing so or decrease the severity and then aid in eliminating the disease from the body.
Without a vaccine you have to get sick first in order for your body to develop an immune response (protection). There are two basic types of vaccines, live attenuated vaccines and inactivated/killed vaccines.
What is a live vaccine?
Is a vaccine that contains a modified disease producing organism. Once injected into the body it replicates to stimulate an immune response. The vaccine is attenuated/weakened so that it does not cause the significant illness.
Live virus vaccines:
MMR
Varicella (chicken pox)
Polio (OPV – drops)
Live bacteria vaccine:
BCG (TB vaccination given at birth)
Live vaccines usually cause side effects similar to a mild case of the illness it is protecting against.
What is an inactivated vaccine?
For this vaccine the disease producing organism is grown and then killed or inactivated by heat and or chemicals. When injected it cannot replicate and therefore not produce the disease it is being used for. These vaccines are unlikely to give rise to lifelong immunity so boosters are necessary if high levels of immunity are to be maintained.
Why are vaccines given to babies?
Certain vaccine-preventable diseases can infect babies within the first few months of life. Vaccinating small babies helps provide them with protection when they need it.
Are vaccines safe?
In the last decade, numerous changes in vaccine production and administration have reduced the number of side-effects and resulted in safer vaccines. A more purified acellular pertussis (acP) vaccine has been licenced for use in South Africa and has replaced the whole-cell pertusses vaccine used in DTP-Hib (diphtheria, tetanus, and haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine).
What about combination vaccines?
Combination vaccines confer protection against more diseases earlier in life. They also decrease the total number of injections a baby needs to have per visit to the clinic.
Can vaccines cause autism?
Recent studies have demonstrated that there is no relationship, confirmed or demonstrated, between vaccines and autism.
What side-effects might my child experience?
The most typical include a slight fever, irritability and soreness at the injection sight. Although very rare, vaccines can cause more severe side effects.
The following website, is the best one I have come across, it has photos of all the different childhood diseases and a lot of information on incubation periods and other frequently asked questions.
The only disease which is not mentioned on the website is TB, which I will shortly discuss.
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious disease due to a bacterial infection, most often Mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB is the leading cause of death throughout the world. Infection in children occurs as a result of close contact with an adult contact when the contact in question has untreated, active, sputum-positive disease and the child comes in prolonged close contact with heavily infected upper respiratory tract secretions. TB can also cause meningitis.
Mode of transmission
Droplet infection
Incubation period
2-12 weeks
Signs & Symptoms
Cough, tiredness, weight loss, coughing up blood, fever, night sweats, phlegm-producing cough
The Vaccine: BCG
Bacilli Calmette-Guerin is a live vaccine made from attenuated bovine TB. Vaccination does not guatantee lifelong protection.
The injection is given intradermally (i.e. The upper layer of the skin) into right upper arm.
Possible reactions that may occur after the vaccine:
A local reaction at the site of the injection usually occurs producing a small indurated papule in 1 to 3 weeks. This induration can be as much as 10-15mm in diameter. The area becomes red, swollen and tender, which gradually changes into a superficial scar. An ulcer may appear 2-4 weeks after the vaccination. If cmall cold abscesses appear, spontaneous resorption usually occurs. Occasional the abscess may soften and open spontaneously producing an ulcer. Enlargement of the regional lymph glands may also occasionally develop after vaccination.
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious disease due to a bacterial infection, most often Mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB is the leading cause of death throughout the world. Infection in children occurs as a result of close contact with an adult contact when the contact in question has untreated, active, sputum-positive disease and the child comes in prolonged close contact with heavily infected upper respiratory tract secretions. TB can also cause meningitis.
Mode of transmission
Droplet infection
Incubation period
2-12 weeks
Signs & Symptoms
Cough, tiredness, weight loss, coughing up blood, fever, night sweats, phlegm-producing cough
The Vaccine: BCG
Bacilli Calmette-Guerin is a live vaccine made from attenuated bovine TB. Vaccination does not guatantee lifelong protection.
The injection is given intradermally (i.e. The upper layer of the skin) into right upper arm.
Possible reactions that may occur after the vaccine:
A local reaction at the site of the injection usually occurs producing a small indurated papule in 1 to 3 weeks. This induration can be as much as 10-15mm in diameter. The area becomes red, swollen and tender, which gradually changes into a superficial scar. An ulcer may appear 2-4 weeks after the vaccination. If cmall cold abscesses appear, spontaneous resorption usually occurs. Occasional the abscess may soften and open spontaneously producing an ulcer. Enlargement of the regional lymph glands may also occasionally develop after vaccination.
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