Health_and_Social_Care_-_Immunisation_Report

Immunisation report Section 1 Immunity is where your body can fight off diseases or infections, which arise from micro-organisms such as virus bacteria and fungi, without you knowing. Your body will fight of the diseases and you may experience some symptoms, depending on what the illness it is and whether you are immune to it. Being immune to a disease means you are able to fight of antigens without experiencing any symptoms. Natural Immunity is in babies when they are first born, it is the body’s natural defences to invading disease causing organisms. Natural immunity last for about 2-3 months to protect babies against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio and the hib form of meningitis, It also last about one year to protect babies against mumps and measles. Pathogens are disease causing microorganism such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. People come in contact with pathogens every day and most of the time our immune systems fight them off before they do any harm. On the surface of the pathogens are a protein called Antigens, these are the harmful part of the organism and they cause the disease. Lymphocytes are cells which attack the invading antigens; there are two types of these lymphocytes, T-cells and B-cells. T-cells attack the antigens directly whereas B-cells produce clones of antibodies that are selected when an invading antigen is detected. Phagocytes release enzymes that kill the pathogens. When the antigens are detected antibodies from plasma cells are released and the pathogens are engulfed by phagocytes which are white blood cells; memory cells are left behind after the infection so that the body is ready to fight the disease again if it comes back. Stages of Phagocytosis Next the phagocyte seals up, concealing the pathogen inside, an enzyme is released from the phagocyte which kills the pathogen. Next the phagocyte seals up, concealing the pathogen inside, an enzyme is released from the phagocyte which kills the pathogen. The phagocyte attaches itself to the pathogen (e.g. bacterium) The phagocyte attaches itself to the pathogen (e.g. bacterium) Finally the pathogens particles are broken down by the enzymes. Finally the pathogens particles are broken down by the enzymes. It then engulfs the pathogen to stop it from escaping. It then engulfs the pathogen to stop it from escaping. http://coldflu.about.com/od/glossary/g/immunity.htm http://www.babyworld.co.uk/information/baby/immunisation/natural.asp Section 2 Immunisation helps our immune system by giving it a boost against specific diseases, to protect us and other people around us from getting the disease. There are two kinds of immunisation; active and passive immunity. Active immunity Active immunity is a vaccine giving to a person either through the mouth or more commonly by injection. A vaccine is a dead or weakened disease-causing organism which when giving it stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies to attack that particular bacteria. The immune system can easily overcome this vaccine just like it can when catching a very mild version of a disease. The antibody which has been produced remains in the body so if you were ever to catch that disease, it will not result in the development of it. This type of immunity is called active because it relies on the immune system to produce the antibodies, In an inactive vaccine a dead or killed bacteria is used and in a attenuated vaccine a weakened bacteria is used. If a person has a damaged immune system this vaccine will not be given with an attenuated bacteria; instead an inactive bacteria will be used. Some of the vaccine will have to be giving more than once and will follow a particular schedule, but others only require one treatment. Active immunity lasts longer than passive immunity because the antibodies remain in the blood and protect against future infections. An example of active immunity is MMR vaccine which protects people from measles, mumps and rubella. AQA AS Health and Social – page 97 Passive Immunity Passive immunity means that the body doesn’t need to create its own antibodies because blood is taken from a person who is already immune to the disease. This blood will contain the antibodies needed to attack the bacteria, the extract of blood, which is called immune serum, is injected into a person who isn’t immune. The antibody which has been given will give immediate protections against the disease. A person will not be given a vaccine if this has been used. Passive immunity gives immediate protection which is only temporary. An example of Passive immunity is when antibodies are passed form the mother to unborn baby just before birth; this will protect the baby from diseases for the first few months of their lives. http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp'articlekey=10091 Section 3 - Diseases Childhood Diseases Measles Measles is a very infectious virus which is spread by droplets. Anyone who hasn’t been vaccinated nor had measles before can catch them very easily, although it is more common in children aged between 1 and 4 years old. It is passed through direct contact with someone who has the virus, it can be passed through, kissing someone, touching someone or breathing contaminated air. Measles is usually infectious from about four day before the rash appears, to about four days after the rash appears. The symptoms take about ten to 14 days to develop after the exposure the virus. The early symptoms are: * Cold with a runny nose * Cough * Conjunctivitis * Fever A couple of days later the measles rash starts to appear behind the ears or on the face, spreading down across the body. The rash is red and blotchy and usually fades after three to four days and may peel off after a week or so. Other symptoms could be abdominal pains, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. The symptoms will last about 14 days and children are recommend to stay off school for five days after the start of the rash. Measles can kill and cause long-term damage but vaccinations prevent this from happening. Children in the UK are giving a vaccination against measles, this is the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps and rubella) which is given to children between 12 and 15 months old, they also get a booster dose before they start school. http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/conditions/measles2.shtml Mumps Mumps is a viral infection of the parotid glands. Mumps used to be a very common illness, but is a lot rarer now the MMR scan is routine. It is spread by saliva or in the droplets of fluid when someone coughs or sneezes, mumps can be infectious from up to seven days before and up to seven days after the glands first start to swell up. Symptoms develop 14 to 21 days after exposure to someone with mumps. The early symptoms are: * Fever * Shivers * Tiredness * Painful swelling of the parotid glands The swollen glands give a person a similar appearance to a hamster, making the infection easy to notice. Children may complain of earache, difficulty eating & drinking and sometime abdominal pain, but in 30% of cases symptoms are so minimal that the infections goes unnoticed. Swollen glands make it difficult for people to: * Open their mouth * Talk * Eat * Drink Acute pancreatitis and inflammation of the ovaries can occur and one in four men who catch mumps after puberty develop inflammation of the testicles which is painful and can reduce his fertility. Most children recover from mumps with no long-lasting problems. Children in the UK are giving a vaccination against mumps, this is the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps and rubella) which is given to children between 12 and 15 months old, they also get a booster dose before they start school. http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/conditions/mumps2.shtml Rubella Rubella is a viral infection also known as German measles. It used to be common among children but has become rarer since the introduction of the MMR vaccine. The symptoms usually take 14 to 24 days to develop after exposure to the virus Early symptoms are: * Mild fever * Rash The rash usually starts on the face then spread down the whole body. The rash is fine and red and usually doesn’t itch in children but does in adults, the rash last for about three to five days. Other symptoms include; swollen glands around a child neck, armpits and groin and joint pain. Although complication are rare, they can still happen. Complication can include: * Arthritis * Encephalitis * Myocarditis * thrombocytopenia Children in the UK are giving a vaccination against rubella, this is the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps and rubella) which is given to children between 12 and 15 months old, they also get a booster dose before they start school. Rubella can be confirmed with a simple blood test. http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/conditions/rubella2.shtml Diphtheria Diphtheria is caused by the bacteria Corynebacterium diphtheria. It releases toxins into the blood which can be life threatening, it is a highly contagious diseases and can easily be passed through sneezing, coughing or laughing. People who are infected are usually contagious for up to 4 weeks. Symptoms are: * sore throat * fever * swollen lymph glands in the neck * sores develop on skin Diphtheria can also lead to breathing problems, paralysis, heart failure and sometime death. It is most common in children, but is rare in developed countries because of vaccines. It requires hospital treatment, were antitoxins are used to neutralise the diphtheria toxins, and antibiotics are used as well to kill the remaining bacteria. The vaccine for diphtheria is part of the DTaP/IVP, which is for other diseases such as tetanus, polio and whooping cough. The vaccine is given at 2 months old and then a booster is given between the ages of 13 and 18. http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/td-ipv/pages/introduction.aspx http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/conditions/diphtheria1.shtml Whooping cough (pertussis) Whooping cough is a high contagious bacterial infection of the lungs which is caused by the bacteria Bordetella Pertussis. Another name for it is the 100 day cough. Its spread through the air in tiny droplets of fluid when someone infected coughs, sneezes of talks. This infection can occur at any age but it more common in those under the age of five. People who are affected with pertussis are usually contagious for four days before the symptoms and four days after the symptoms are visible. Symptoms are: * runny nose * mild fever * dry night-time cough/ a pattern of coughing spasms Intense coughing can cause nosebleeds and haemorrhages – bleeding into the white of the eye - may occur. Complications are not very common but include pneumonia, seizures and bronchiectasis (a lung condition where small airways become enlarged.) in babies whooping cough can cause apnoea which is when breathing stops and sudden death. The vaccine for whooping cough is part of the DTaP/IVP, which is for other diseases such as tetanus, polio and diphtheria. The vaccine is given at 2 months old and then a whooping cough booster is given between the ages of 3 and 4. http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/conditions/whoopingcough2.shtml Travel Diseases Tetanus Tetanus is a serious but rare infection caused by bacteria, the bacteria that cause tetanus is called clostridium tetani. Tetanus occurs when flesh wounds become contaminated, the bacteria can live in many substances including; soil, house dust, animal and human waste, such as manure. There is no infectious period as tetanus cannot be passed on. The symptoms for tetanus are: * Tiredness * Weakness * Lock jaw (spasms of the jaw) * Problems with swallowing and breathing * Sweating Complications after having tetanus are fractures to the bones and it can also cause laryngospasm which stops oxygen getting to the lungs. The vaccine for tetanus is part of the DTaP/IVP, which is for other diseases such as whooping cough, polio and diphtheria. The vaccine is given at 2 months old. http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/tetanus/Pages/Introduction.aspx Cholera Cholera is a bacterial infection and is caused by drinking water that is contaminated with the bacteria vibrio cholerae. The infectious stage is for a few days after recovery. The symptoms of cholera are: * Watery diarrhoea * Nausea * Vomiting * Muscle cramps Complications of cholera can be saline problems, shock and death. The vaccine available for cholera is only given when it is thought it is needed, for example people with poor hygiene in places like Africa. The vaccine is given as a drink, and is 85% effective. http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cholera/Pages/Definition.aspx Hepatitis A Hepatitis A is a viral infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus. It is caused by poor sanitation. The disease usually infects infants and children. The symptoms of Hepatitis A are: * Weakness * Tired * Headache * Fever * Loss of appetite * Nausea and vomiting * Abdominal pain * Diarrhoea * Dehydration * Infection of the liver which cause the skin to whiten and the eyes to go yellow. Complications of Hepatitis A are mainly about the Liver; liver damage can be uncomfortable but won’t be long term. Young children will be affected more as there immune system isn’t very strong. The vaccine available for hepatitis A is only available to people who are going to countries with poor sanitation such as Africa. There is a blood test done to see if people are protected already, if you are not protected an injection will be given 6-8 weeks before traveling and a booster 6-12 months after http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hepatitis-a/pages/introduction.aspx Typhoid Typhoid fever is a serious and potentially fatal bacterial infection. It is caused by bacteria called Salmonella typhi; it can be contracted by eating food or drinking water that has been contaminated by the Salmonella typhi bacteria. It is caused by pollution and is more common in places like Africa. The infectious period for Typhoid is not always the same as some people can become permanent carriers. Symptoms of typhoid First week: * Fever * Constipation or diarrhoea * Vomiting * Dry cough * Headache * Delirium (mental confusion) * Skin rash made up of pink spots Second week: * The symptoms in the first week will become more serve * Swelling of the abdomen * Slowing of the heartbeat Third week: * Loss of appetite * Weight loss * Physical exhaustion * Watery diarrhoea * Serve swelling of the abdomen * Rapid breathing * Deterioration of your mental state If a person survives until the fourth week their symptoms will gradually improve. Complications in Typhoid are internal bleeding, inflammation of the heart, and organ failure. The vaccine for Typhoid is only given to people who are going traveling; it consists of two injections which are done with about 7 days between each. A booster will be given every 3-5 years. http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Typhoid-fever/Pages/Introduction.aspx Malaria Malaria is caused by an infection of the red blood cells with a tiny organism or parasite called protozoa. The disease that causes Malaria is called Plasmodium Parasite. You catch malaria from the bite of a mosquito. It can quickly grow and multiply. The symptoms of Malaria can appear 10-15 days after you have been infected, but in some cases it can take up to a year for symptoms to start. The symptoms of malaria are: * Fever * Sweating * Chills * Muscle pains * Headaches * Cough * Diarrhoea Complications of malaria are anaemia, cerebral malaria, breathing problems, liver damage and failure, shock, kidney failure and dehydration. The vaccine of Malaria is given to people who go to a country that is infected by malaria and mosquitos. It’s not an injection it is a course of tablets that are taken before they go to the country while their there and after they come back. http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/malaria/pages/introduction.aspx Rabies Rabies is a viral infection; the viral infection that causes it is called Lyssavirus. Rabies affects the nervous system, and it is passed on by a bit with salvia off an animal, such as dogs and rabbits. The infectious period is 1-2 days after the bite. The symptoms of rabies are: * Fever. * Headache. * Nausea and vomiting. * Numbness. * Pain and tingling around the wound. * Spasms of the throat and gullet. * Extreme thirst. * Hydrophobia. * Anxiety. * Hallucinations. Complications of rabies are very serious, as it can cause death if it is not treated immediately in hospital. The vaccine available for rabies is very expensive, and is a course of six needles that start straight away. http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/conditions/rabies1.shtml Section 4 – Immunisation VS Non-immunisation Immunisation programmes are a very important part of everyday life because without the vaccines offered to everyone in the UK, diseases such as mumps and rubella, which are no longer common in the UK because of the vaccines, would become as common as an everyday cold. Most vaccines are first given people first few years of life and boosters are given every few years. Children benefit from vaccines because their immune systems are not as strong as what they will be when their older, without the vaccines children will be more likely to get childhood diseases such as; measles, mumps, rubella , diphtheria and whooping cough. People who travel to areas of the world with poor sanitation such as Africa are at risk to get diseases like; tetanus, rabies, malaria, hepatitis A and cholera, if they haven’t had the vaccines. These travel diseases can be very life threating without the vaccine that is why it is important to get it. If the children and travellers are vaccinated the general public will be safe from the diseases, this is because of herd immunity also known as the herd effect. The herd effect is if enough people are immune to a particular disease then it’s more difficult for that disease to pass to people who are not immune; herd immunity does not work for all diseases as some are not passed from person to person. Although even if there is an immunisation program sometime if there are not enough people vaccinated the disease cans still infect the people who are not infected. http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20080305121650/http://immunisation.nhs.uk/About_Immunisation/Science/What_is_herd_immunity