About Vaccines

All of the diseases that children are currently immunized against have experienced very significant declines in infection rates. Vaccines have been so successful that many of these illnesses are virtually non-existent in the United States. But out of sight should not mean out of mind. Immunizations are essential to continue the eradication of these vaccine-preventable diseases. Many experiences have shown that when immunization rates drop, these diseases can reemerge, and unnecessary deaths will occur.

Learn about vaccines and the diseases against which they protect
Learn about the diseases

Vaccines and the Diseases Against Which They Protect

  • Pediarix – is a combination vaccine that combines the DTaP, IPV, and Hepatitis B into one vaccine.
  • DTaP – protects your child from diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (whooping cough)
  • IPV – protects your child from paralytic polio. Currently, an inactivated polio vaccine is used in the United States. This vaccine is incapable of causing polio symptoms itself, and is safe for people with compromised immune systems.
  • PCV – protects your child from invasive disease caused by pneumococcus bacteria… including meningitis and pneumonia.
  • Hib – protects your child from invasive disease caused by Haemophilus influenza, type B bacteria… including meningitis. These bacteria can also cause other life-threatening infections of the eye and epiglottis.
  • Varicella – protects your child from serious chicken pox infections and helps to prevent complications of chicken pox including pneumonia and infections of the brain.
  • MMR – protects your child from measles, mumps, and rubella.
  • TdaP – boosts your child’s protection against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis
  • Hep A – The Hep A vaccine protects children from Hepatitis A, a viral illness that damages the liver,… resulting in fever, vomiting, abdominal pain and jaundice. This is a 2 dose series.
  • HepB – The Hepatitis B vaccine is given to newborns in the hospital to prevent transmission of Hepatitis B from mother to infant. Some mothers don’t know they are carriers of Hepatitis B, and a large percentage of these mothers would transmit Hepatitis to their infants. Subsequent doses of the vaccine are administered as part of the Pediarix vaccine, and will confer life-long immunity to older infants and children.
  • Meningitis A and B – are vaccines that protect against Meningococcal meningitis, the most common form of meningitis affecting teenagers. Although rare, meningitis is rapidly progressive and difficult to treat. It is now recommended that all teenagers receive the meningitis A vaccine before entering junior high school, high school, or college. They are 2 dose series.
  • HPV- is a 2-3 dose series that protects against Human Papilloma Virus, a very common disease that causes genital warts and cervical cancer.

Diseases

  • Diphtheria is a respiratory illness that causes a membrane to form in the back of a child’s throat causing severe respiratory distress and often death.
  • Pertussis is also known as whooping cough. Although a fairly mild illness in adults, it is deadly to young infants. As children approach adulthood, immunity against pertussis wanes. Adults may therefore act as unwilling reservoirs of infection to un-immunized or under-immunized infants!
  • Tetanus is also known as lockjaw, because it is characterized by uncontrollable contractions of body muscles, especially the jaw. It results from a toxin produced by bacteria that can infect dirty wounds. Immunity wanes with time so repeated doses are needed throughout life to protect against this deadly infection!
  • Polio is a virus still problematic in some countries of the world, where it can cause paralysis and even death. Widely heralded as a miracle of modern health care, the polio vaccine has saved millions of children’s lives.
  • Hib – Haemophilus influenza, type B is an invasive bacterium that can cause a variety of deadly diseases including meningitis, epiglottitis (swelling in the back of the throat), and serious eye infections.
  • Pneumococcus is another invasive bacteria that can cause meningitis, pneumonia, as well as serious infections of the blood.
  • Varicella, also known as chicken pox, is generally a benign illness, but can be quite serious. Children of any age can develop encephalitis (swelling of the brain), pneumonia, or serious skin infections from this virus. Although rare, these complications can result in death.
  • Measles – is a highly contagious viral infection that causes fever, rash, cough, and red eyes. Some cases result in encephalitis (swelling of the brain) and even death. Because this disease is so contagious, a large percentage of the population needs to be immunized to protect the community as a whole. A decline in vaccination rates have resulted in outbreaks in some U.S. communities.
  • Mumps is another contagious viral infection causing swelling of the parotid (salivary) glands. Other manifestations include testicular swelling in boys, and meningitis/encephalitis (swelling of the brain).
  • Rubella, or German Measles, is a virus that causes a rash similar to measles. Although the illness is usually benign, exposure to rubella during pregnancy can result in spontaneous abortions or severe birth defects.
  • Hepatitis A – is a viral disease most often transmitted through contaminated food products. The disease causes  fever, vomitting, abdominal pain, weight loss and jaundice (resulting from liver damage). The illness can last several weeks and require prolonged hospitalization.
  • Hepatitis B is a virus that can lead to chronic liver failure and death. It is transmitted
    through blood and body fluids and has a very high transmission rate from mothers to newborns.
  • Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain. It can be caused by several different viruses and bacteria. Bacterial meningitis is generally more severe than viral meningitis and is often fatal. Because meningitis progresses quickly, there is often little warning that a patient is becoming very sick.

Do You Know?
All of the diseases that children are currently immunized against have experienced very significant declines in infection rates. Vaccines have been so successful that many of these illnesses are virtually non-existent in the United States. But out of sight should not mean out of mind. Immunizations are essential to continue the eradication of these vaccine-preventable diseases. Experience has shown that when immunization rates drop, these diseases can re-emerge, and deaths will occur.