Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Foreword
- Acknowledgements
- Chapter 1 Introduction
- Keynote Essay 1: Defining Who We Are: DNA in Forensics, Genealogy and Human Origins
- Section 1 Principles Of Cellular And Molecular Biology
- SECTION 2 MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY
- Chapter 8 Genomes and the Environment: An Overview of Molecular Pathology
- Chapter 9 Genetics, Genomics, Health and Disease: General Considerations
- Chapter 10 Chromosome Disorders
- Chapter 11 Mendelian Inheritance
- Chapter 12 Unusual Molecular Processes that Impact on Disease
- Chapter 13 Population Genetics
- Chapter 14 Complex Multifactorial Inheritance
- Chapter 15 Molecular Basis for Phenotypic Variation
- Chapter 16 Medical Genetics
- Keynote Essay 3: Human Cloning: Should We Go There?
- Chapter 17 Neoplasia: General Considerations
- Chapter 18 Oncogenes
- Chapter 19 Mammalian DNA Repair
- Chapter 20 Tumour Suppressor Genes and Inherited Susceptibility to Cancer
- Chapter 21 Carcinoma
- Chapter 22 Leukaemias and Lymphomas
- Chapter 23 Molecular Approaches to the Diagnosis, Prognostication and Monitoring of Cancer
- Keynote Essay 4: Microbes, Molecules, Maladies and Man
- Chapter 24 Molecular Basis of Infectious Diseases: General Considerations
- Chapter 25 Immunology
- Chapter 26 Human Immunodeficiency Virus
- Chapter 27 Tuberculosis
- Chapter 28 Malaria
- Chapter 29 Influenza
- Chapter 30 Oncogenic Viruses
- Chapter 31 Vaccines and Immunisation
- Keynote Essay 5: Drugs and the 21st Century
- SECTION 3 MOLECULAR THERAPEUTICS
- SECTION 4 RESEARCH AND THE CONTINUING EVOLUTION OF MOLECULAR MEDICINE
- Glossary
- Contributors’ Biographies
- Source Material And Recommended Reading
- Permissions And Credits
- Index
Chapter 31 - Vaccines and Immunisation
from SECTION 2 - MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 June 2019
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Foreword
- Acknowledgements
- Chapter 1 Introduction
- Keynote Essay 1: Defining Who We Are: DNA in Forensics, Genealogy and Human Origins
- Section 1 Principles Of Cellular And Molecular Biology
- SECTION 2 MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY
- Chapter 8 Genomes and the Environment: An Overview of Molecular Pathology
- Chapter 9 Genetics, Genomics, Health and Disease: General Considerations
- Chapter 10 Chromosome Disorders
- Chapter 11 Mendelian Inheritance
- Chapter 12 Unusual Molecular Processes that Impact on Disease
- Chapter 13 Population Genetics
- Chapter 14 Complex Multifactorial Inheritance
- Chapter 15 Molecular Basis for Phenotypic Variation
- Chapter 16 Medical Genetics
- Keynote Essay 3: Human Cloning: Should We Go There?
- Chapter 17 Neoplasia: General Considerations
- Chapter 18 Oncogenes
- Chapter 19 Mammalian DNA Repair
- Chapter 20 Tumour Suppressor Genes and Inherited Susceptibility to Cancer
- Chapter 21 Carcinoma
- Chapter 22 Leukaemias and Lymphomas
- Chapter 23 Molecular Approaches to the Diagnosis, Prognostication and Monitoring of Cancer
- Keynote Essay 4: Microbes, Molecules, Maladies and Man
- Chapter 24 Molecular Basis of Infectious Diseases: General Considerations
- Chapter 25 Immunology
- Chapter 26 Human Immunodeficiency Virus
- Chapter 27 Tuberculosis
- Chapter 28 Malaria
- Chapter 29 Influenza
- Chapter 30 Oncogenic Viruses
- Chapter 31 Vaccines and Immunisation
- Keynote Essay 5: Drugs and the 21st Century
- SECTION 3 MOLECULAR THERAPEUTICS
- SECTION 4 RESEARCH AND THE CONTINUING EVOLUTION OF MOLECULAR MEDICINE
- Glossary
- Contributors’ Biographies
- Source Material And Recommended Reading
- Permissions And Credits
- Index
Summary
INTRODUCTION
Infectious diseases account for approximately 25% of global mortality, and kill at least 15 million people per year. Of those who die at least five million are children younger than 5 years of age. The burden of infectious diseases can be greatly reduced if we vaccinate all populations at high risk of disease and ensure that all children have access to basic vaccines regardless of their geographical location or economic status.
Immunisation or vaccination is the most cost-effective form of public health intervention in the protection of children, families and communities against infectious diseases. Worldwide immunisation, as well as improvements in hygiene and sanitation, have revolutionised child health and improved the quality of life of adults. Immunisation prevents millions of deaths every year, and reduces the risk of disability caused by infectious disease. In spite of these successes, however, almost two million children die every year from diseases against which effective vaccines are available at low cost.
By immunising specific population groups, for example children, serious infectious diseases and their complications can be prevented, contained and eliminated, a process referred to as herd immunity. The art of vaccination involves the production of antigenic preparations from the pathogen that are safe to administer, induce the right sort of immunity for prevention or treatment of disease, and are affordable to the population at which they are aimed.
This chapter describes the currently avail - able categories of vaccines. All health professionals have a duty to be properly trained in all aspects of immunisations and a responsibility to fully support the national childhood immunisation programmes based on the available scientific evidence.
VACCINES: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
Smallpox is a highly infectious, devastating and disfiguring disease that is caused by variola or smallpox virus, a member of the Orthopoxviridae. The disease is characterised by the presence of numerous pustules all over the body which contain infectious virus. The fatality rate is over 25% for patients infected by Variola major, while smallpox caused by V. minor has a much lower fatality rate (less than 5%).
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Molecular Medicine for Clinicians , pp. 367 - 376Publisher: Wits University PressPrint publication year: 2008