10. Immunization

 

In the modern world, pandemics and epidemics have become major problems. Due to some newly generated infectious agents (Coronavirus) and their transmission mode, they can easily create a pandemic disease.

One efficient way of controlling the spread of these infections is to strengthen the host defences. This strengthening of defences can be accomplished by immunization. Immunization is one of the cost-effective weapons of modern medicine when a large proportion of a community is immunized against a disease. The rest of the community benefits because it does not spread.

 

Before learning about vaccines, we must first understand words like antigen and antibody.

 

 

A thousand years ago, healthy people would inhale a powder made from smallpox scabs crusts to protect themselves from smallpox disease. This method is the first known vaccination technique used by humankind.

 

In modern medicine, Edward Jenner introduced the process of vaccination. According to the World Health Organisation (\(WHO\)), the Jennerian vaccination has eliminated smallpox totally from the human population.

 

 

  

 They are prepared from living organisms. The pathogen is weakened and administered.

  

 Microorganisms (bacteria or virus) killed by heat or chemicals are called killed or inactivated vaccines. They require a primary dose followed by a subsequent booster dose.