Question

What are vaccines and how do they prevent diseases?

Answer 1

A vaccine is a biological preparation that provides active acquired immunity to a particular infectious disease. Vaccines are of various types.

Complete solution: A vaccine typically contains an agent that resembles a disease-causing microorganism and is often made from weakened or killed forms of the microbe, its toxins or one of its surface proteins. The agent stimulates the body’s immune system to recognize the agent as a threat, destroy it, and to further recognize and destroy any of the microorganisms associated with that agent that it may encounter in the future. Vaccines can be ‘prophylactic’ (to prevent or ameliorate the effects of a future infection by a natural or ‘wild’ pathogen), or therapeutic (to fight a disease that has already occurred, such as cancer).
The administration of vaccines is called “Vaccination”. It is the most effective method of preventing infectious diseases; widespread immunity due to vaccination is largely responsible for the worldwide eradication of smallpox and the restriction of diseases such as polio, measles, and tetanus from much of the world.
A vaccine works by training the immune system to recognize and combat pathogens, either viruses or bacteria. To do this, certain molecules from the pathogens must be introduced into the body to trigger an immune response. These molecules are called ‘Antigens’; and they are present in all viruses and bacteria. There are 5 types of Vaccines:
a. Attenuated (live) Vaccine.
b. Inactivated vaccine.
c. Toxoid vaccine.
d. Subunit vaccine.
e. Conjugate vaccine.

Note: Diseases may be infectious and non-infectious so the common ways to prevent the diseases are:
1. Wash your hands often.
2. Get Vaccinated.
3. Use antibiotics sensibly.
4. Stay at home if you have signs and symptoms of an infection.
5. Be smart about food preparation.
6. Disinfect the ‘hot zones’ in your residence.
7. Practice safer sex.
8. Don’t share personal items.
9. Travel wisely.