Immunization refers to the process where a person is made immune from an infectious disease by administrating the vaccine. Vaccine contains germs that have been killed or weakened. These germs triggers the immune system to respond to the injected virus, thus building immunity. Dr. Keller Wortham, tells us that the concept of immunization was inverted by a British doctor, Dr. Edward Jenner, in 1796. He noticed that cattle workers who were infected with a harmless disease called Calpox, seemed to be protected from smallpox. Smallpox affected major parts of the United Kingdom at that time. He found that purposely infecting humans with Calpox can immune them against to smallpox. Dr. Edward Jenner named this process vaccination.
Dr. Keller Wortham tells us that the disease causing organisms can have two effects on our body. First, they make us sick and cause fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and rash. And the other effect improves and strengthens our immune system. Disease causing organisms contain protein called antigens (foreign toxin). To fight this foreign substance, our white blood cells create anti-bodies which bind antigens. After the first time, the body creates memory cells to look out for this antigen. If the antigen returns, the memory cells create tons of antibodies to prevent the infection.
Published : October 14, 2019 5:30 pm
