Disease Epidemics: The Evolution Of Vaccines

“Childhood vaccines are one of the great triumphs of modern medicine. Indeed, parents whose children are vaccinated no longer have to worry about their child’s death or disability from whooping cough, polio, diphtheria, hepatitis, or a host of other infections.” (Emanuel)

After vaccinations have been introduced, several disease incidences have been controlled and some fatal illnesses have been completely eradicated; an advancement that is currently under threat due to the anti vaccination movement. According to Alexandra Le Tellier from the LA Times, 1/3rd of kindergarteners are not up to date with their vaccinations. Different to what you may think, the numbers are

While going about your day, you may have overheard others conversing about vaccines. Perhaps you have been involved in such a conversation, as the vaccine debate is presently a prominent topic of discussion. Ever since the late 1700s, when vaccines were first invented and used by Edward Jenner (Levine, Miller 1020), there have been copious amounts of pro-vaccine advocates. However, overtime anti-vaccine campaigners have accumulated as well, thus creating the ever-present vaccine debate. Not solely in our modern times, but throughout history, pro-vaccine supporters have been disputing with anti-vaccine supporters, constantly presenting new reasons to either love or despise vaccines.

Many people may think that vaccination is a bad thing, that instead of preventing it causes illness, that is not natural. Natural or not, there are many reasons as to why we should vaccinate us and the younger generation. Most of the time children don’t like vaccination because it hurt, but is the responsibility of a parent to seek the wellbeing of his or her child. Vaccination it’s a preventive measure of various diseases. Unfortunately, things like the anti-vaccination movement, the misinformation on the Internet, and the believe that vaccination causes more damage than is worth, have led our society to think that it’s right not to vaccinate.

Throughout history, many diseases have plagued humanity. Luckily, early scientists implemented an experimental method known as animal testing. “Animal testing allows for the creation of vaccines and as a result provides many benefits to humans” (Sun 84). This approach would allow researchers to test possible cures on animals before administering them to humans. This technique protects people from the possible fatal side effects. This process would become highly sought after as it helped in providing several medications that would control, prevent or cure many diseases. One might suggest that animal testing is cruel or unjust, but it is precisely the opposite. Animal testing must continue due to many associated

There are numerous evidences present in the literature to support the usefulness of vaccination for the treatment of viral infections such as Polio, Measles, Mumps, Rubella and Small Pox (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2013). A person is given a shot once for these diseases and seldom need another shot. Health agencies are now able to make statement such as the eradication of Small Pox, Polio and Measles (College of Phycisian of Philadelphia, 2015). The efforts toward polio and measles eradication in the Americas have been possible only mainly because there was a very high level of political commitment and collaboration among governments of the region (Knobler, Lederberg, & Pray, 2002).

Have you ever questioned why public schools are making kids get vaccinations? Vaccines are enforced in public schools in order to prevent virus spreading and potential danger. March 4, 1918, it started with an American soldier who reported sick with a flu and hours later hundreds were infected. Known as the “Spanish Flu” or “the epidemic of 1918” it is ranked as one of the most deadliest epidemics and had death tolls higher than that of World War 1. The impact of the epidemic on the 20th Century is that it provided insight on treatment of the flu, created the influenza vaccine, and a controversial topic for further research.

To vaccinate or not to vaccinate? That is the question. Vaccination has sparked heated debate since its development amongst the following groups; parents, naturopaths, medical professionals, etc. Fuel has been added to the fire of the vaccine debate by the media and anti-vaxxer fear mongering tactics, making it hard for those considering vaccination, to decipher fact from myth. It is vital that we first understand the facts rather than believing the latest rumor before making an informed decision to vaccinate or not. This is the aim of this report. Through analytical research presented in this report I have come to the conclusion that vaccines are not only crucial and beneficial but that everyone who is eligible should be vaccinated, as that

The influenza pandemic killed more people than World War I. “According to Taber 's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, influenza is “an acute, contagious respiratory infection characterized by sudden onset, fever, chills, headache, myalgia(muscle pain), and sometimes prostration”. Due to the lack of doctors knowledge, The influenza pandemic( Spanish Flu) spread fast.

Vaccinations are one of the biggest advancements in Medicine today. For example, polio had spread across the United States in the 1950’s claiming thousands of lives a

Throughout the 19th century, much of the legislation and oversight of vaccinations fell to the states and local jurisdictions. This included production and distribution of vaccines, enforcement (including penal outcomes) of regulation, and final adjudication of any disputes (Gostin, 2008). In 1902, however the U.S. Congress passed the “Biologics Control Act” (BCA) which set the standards for the first legislation of drugs. This meant that guidance on the production, distribution, and research on vaccines came from the federal level.

The debate about vaccination amongst children continues to be an ongoing discussion for people across the United States. Many cite the discovery of vaccinations as one of the 20th centuries major successes, yet resistance and criticisms toward vaccinations still exist. Parents, doctors, and scholars acknowledge that vaccinations have plenty of benefits but they still carry a degree of risks. Existing studies have examined vaccination attitudes and beliefs of parents, but the same question still remains; why don’t some parents vaccinate their children?

Vaccinations, a public health concern, should be enforced for every age group as it prevents dangerous even deadly infections with the body’s natural defense to help develop immunity to disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is highly and recommended to immunizations for people of all ages (CDC). Believing myths of immunization in the core is the problem. As more and more people choose to not vaccinate will begin to start battling diseases that we have conquered years ago (CDC).

Once the child recovered from the cowpox disease, Jenner then tried to infect the child with smallpox, but the young man proved to be immune. “It seemed that this attempt at vaccination had worked. But Jenner had to work on for two more years before his discovery was considered sufficiently tested by the medical profession to permit widespread introduction.” (Alexander, 2003). Beginning in 1831 and ending in 1835, due to increasing vaccination, smallpox deaths were down to one in a thousand. The year of 1853 deemed obligatory for all children born after the first of August to receive routine immunizations. By 1898, one hundred years after Edward Jenner’s unveiling of the vaccine, smallpox in London had fallen dramatically – to one in every 100,000 (less than 50 people per

Whooping Cough known as pertussis. It is an infection in the respiratory system that’s caused by the bacterium Bordetella (Kids Health, 1995-2015). In 1906, Octave Gengou and Jules Bordet discovered the bacteria Bordetella pertussis, and found a vaccine to stop the disease before it actually occurred. The first outbreak took place in the 16th century. Before they were able to discover such vaccine to cure whooping cough, well over 250,000 cases of whooping cough per year in the U.S., with 9,000 reported deaths (Medicine Net, 1996-2015).