About Vaccines

How do vaccines work ? Vaccination involves the introduction into the body of entire microorganisms (pathogens) or part of them, which are presented to the cells of the immune system that learns to recognize and fight them during infection. Traditional vaccines contain viruses and bacteria that have been (a) killed-inactivated, (b) attenuated (weakened) or (c) otherwise modified to produce immunity to a specific infectious disease or diseases by stimulating, for instance, the production of antibodies.

Immunity is the body’s successful defence against a pathogen. When a person is exposed to a disease, the immune system attempts to fight against it by producing antibodies and highly specific cells that can target the pathogen. When someone has produced sufficient antibodies to fight the disease, immunity results, providing protection against the disease for many months, for years or even for a lifetime. If someone later comes into contact again with that same pathogen, antibodies circulating in the bloodstream begin to increase, either preventing the disease from developing or decreasing its severity, while antibodies and highly specific cells can eliminate the pathogen from the body. Through “immunological memory”, it is estimated that the immune system can remember or recognise and effectively.”

Past vaccination success stories

Vaccination has safely and effectively prevented more disease and death due to infectious agents than any other public health intervention, aside from improved sanitation and provision of clean water [4]. Among the various international disease eradication programmes that were launched during the 20th century, the only programme that has been successful so far has been vaccine-based – the eradication of smallpox. Global elimination of polio could be a second possible achievement within the next decade [5].

New vaccine research and manufacture

Today, around 80% of the world’s vaccines are manufactured in Europe, a region that plays a key role in the research and development of preventive as well as therapeutic vaccines. During the last twenty years, the extraordinary pace of innovative vaccine development has been the result of new knowledge and technology that has emerged from basic research, e.g., use of recombinant DNA and hybridoma technologies. The vaccine industry is actively engaged in research and development of new vaccines, including use of DNA plasmid technology and immunotherapy. A number of vaccines in development target diseases that are difficult to treat, such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and rheumatic disorders, among others. *Prototype vaccines have received approval **Including universal influenza vaccines and DNA based vaccines Source EVM data March 2008 based on EU authorisations [6].

>> More information on vaccine and vaccination

[1] Plotkin SL, Plotkin SA. A short history of vaccination. In : Plotkin SA, Orenstein WA (eds.). Vaccines. Philadelphia : Saunders, 1999

[2] Henderson DA. Lessons from the eradication campaigns. Vaccine 1999 ;17 :S53-S55

[3] sitecom

[4] Plotkin SL, Plotkin SA. A short history of vaccination. In : Plotkin SA, Orenstein WA (eds.). Vaccines. Philadelphia : Saunders, 1999

[5] Henderson DA. Lessons from the eradication campaigns. Vaccine 1999 ;17 :S53-S55

[6] sitecom