Immunization has had a global impact on people’s health all over the world. Without immunization, the mortality death from certain diseases could be devasting. Vaccines increase a person’s immune system. Vaccines are available for more than 20 serious diseases that can cost human lives. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) lack of vaccines and immunization have caused 3.5 million of the 5 million deaths annually.
How can a person know if they have been immunized?
Titer testing helps determine the various immunization that a person has had or is required to have. A titer is a simple blood draw to determine if someone still has antibodies to a particular vaccine.
As a child grows after birth, these immunizations are necessary to keep them safe from diseases like Tuberculosis, Measles, Mumps & Rubella, Varicella and Hepatitis. It is best to have a child immunized early to avoid serious contagious diseases into their adulthood. It also helps with the spread of diseases which are highly contagious.
Who Needs vaccination?
Proof of vaccination is often required for entry into schools, colleges, travel, healthcare providers, immigration and other requirements. The levels of request are broad and require documented evidence of vaccine administration. If these records are not available, a titer (blood draw) can test for the presence or absence of the antibody.
If the results of the blood draw show sufficient levels of antibodies, then the person has sufficient level of protection from the pathogen, and they would be immune from the disease. The reverse is true if the test shows a negative result. The person then has no immunity and must be immunized.
What are the common vaccines that a person should take?
The most common vaccines done at childhood are the following:
- Measles, Mumps & Rubella (MMR)
Measles:
This is a highly contagious disease which is spread through airborne contact and causes severe health issues and even death.
The symptoms of the disease appear within 10 -14 days of being infected. It appears as a rash as the first symptom. Other symptoms as the disease progresses are cough, runny nose, red eyes and other symptoms.
If the disease is not treated, it can cause vision issues like blindness, hearing issues, breathing discomfort & swelling of the brain. Women of childbearing age and pregnant women have a very high risk of the unborn child having birth defects. Two doses of the vaccine are highly recommended to avoid getting infected.
Mumps:
Mumps is contagious and spread by a virus that affects the salivary glands. The common symptoms are pain in the jaw, loss of appetite, fever and headaches. The disease normally runs a course of about 2 weeks.
An individual infected by mumps can be a carrier for at least 4 weeks before showing symptoms but can be infectious. The disease is common among children due to exposure at school and educational settings that have people in close proximity. Mumps is spread via coughing, sneezing and contact.
The best way to manage and avoid getting Mumps is to get the 2 doses of the vaccine. The mumps vaccine is a combined vaccine with the other MMR vaccines and will protect an individual from all 3 diseases. The vaccine has helped decrease the disease in USA by 99%.
Rubella:
This is a highly contagious disease which is spread through airborne contact. It can cause birth defects especially if a pregnant woman is infected with the pathogen.
The symptoms are a rash and a low fever with some red eyes. The rash lasts for approximately 3 – 10 days. The incubation period for this is about 2 – 3 weeks after contracting the virus.
- Tdap (Tetanus) – Tetanus is contracted via a cut or open wound that gets infected with the tetanus bacterium. Although tetanus vaccines help with managing tetanus as individuals age the vaccine can wane with age. It may be important to consult with a medical person to discuss potential exposure and boosters of the vaccine.
The disease causes tightening of the jaw, muscle spasms, difficulty swallowing, headaches and fevers and blood pressure and heart issues.
This vaccine should be administered in 3 doses for infants. Followed by an additional 3 booster doses after the age of 2 years.
Doses should be as follows to provide best results:
- 3 doses for newborn infants at the age of 1, 10 & 14 weeks
- Booster – 4 – 7 years and 12 – 15 years
Very often the second set of vaccinations are not followed through. It is important to get the booster doses as listed as that process provides the best immunity to the disease.
- Varicella (Chickenpox) – Chickenpox is caused by the virus called varicella-zoster. The virus can lie dormant and provide symptoms like herpes or shingles. The virus is spread via droplets, contact with an infected person. The symptoms are frequently seen after the age of 10 years.
The symptoms appear as a rash that is itchy and focused on the face and head and gradually proceeds to create a rash all over the body. The symptoms appear after 10 – 21 days.
The vaccine is recommended in 2 doses. The first dose is recommended at the age of 12 – 15 months and the second dose at 4 – 6 years.
The virus is more dangerous in adults as it could be fatal. The rash causes pneumonia, and / or brain inflammation.
- Hepatitis (Hep B-HBV)
Hepatitis is a disease that impacts your liver caused by the Hepatitis B virus. The disease is spread by contact and via body fluids. The exposure can manifest itself even after years of infection.
To avoid Hep B, it is best to vaccinate against the disease. Without the vaccine the disease could become chronic. Hepatitis B has remained under control over 2022 onwards. The current statistics show that 52% of people in 2022 had acute Hepatitis (Source: CDC).
Symptoms of HEP B include exhaustion, pain in the joints, stomach pain, skin that looks yellow, fever and urine that looks dark.
Contact SmarTest Labs
SmarTest Labs provides vaccination for numerous large medical facilities We can guide on the dosages and frequency of dosage. We will guide you through the process.
We are located at 301-686-8566.
Email: Contact@smartestlabs.com
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