| Are You Protected? Tri-City Voice, August 6, 2008
Physician Discusses Importance of
Staying Current on Vaccinations
Not that long ago, polio, a viral
infectious disease, was one of the most
dreaded childhood diseases of the 20th
century in the United States. Epidemics
in the early 1900s, which left thousands
paralyzed, spurred the “Great Race” for
a vaccine.
In the early 1950s and early 1960s,
vaccines for the disease were developed
drastically reducing the annual number
of polio cases from hundreds of
thousands to around a thousand. Today,
the polio vaccine is just one of many
given during childhood to prevent many
infectious diseases, but the not too
distant past serves as a reminder of the
invaluable protection these vaccines
serve.
“Simply put, the purpose of
vaccinations is disease prevention,”
says Dr. Hoang Trinh, Washington
Township Medical Group family practice
physician. “It’s always better to
prevent disease rather than treating it.
Not only do vaccines prevent disease but
they also protect those who come in
contact with you, helping to protect the
community from outbreaks of dangerous
diseases.”
Annually, the month of August is
recognized as National Immunization
Awareness Month, and serves as an
opportune time for adults and parents of
young children to increase their
awareness of immunity through
vaccination.
“Studies have shown that vaccines do
help prevent infectious diseases and
help save lives by protecting against
diseases like small pox, polio and
measles just to name a few,” according
to Dr. Trinh. “It’s been shown that the
vaccines have been responsible for the
control of many deadly infectious
diseases.”
Dr. Trinh explains that vaccines help
the body’s immune system, a defense
network that helps fight disease, by
prompting it to produce antibodies,
which are specific types of proteins the
immune system uses to identify and
neutralize foreign objects, such as
bacteria and viruses.
“Antibodies fight off invading
infections, helping you get over the
illnesses caused by viruses or
bacteria,” according to Dr. Trinh.
“These antibodies stay in the body and
prevent you from getting the same
diseases again. And that is what
develops into immunity. The vaccines
contain weakened or dead bacteria or
viruses. By making your body think it’s
being invaded by these viruses or
bacteria, vaccines enable your body to
recognize these pathogens when you come
into contact with them and help fight
them off.”
For infants and young children whose
immune systems are immature,
vaccinations are particularly important
to prevent disease. Before even leaving
the hospital, infants will receive their
first Hepatitis B vaccination, with the
second to be given a month later.
Vaccinating against Hepatitis B at
birth actually represents a fairly
recent trend, which Dr. Trinh says
raises an important point about
vaccination schedules.
“Many times, after reviewing
patients’ immunization records, I find
they’re due for many important vaccines
they were unaware of,” Dr. Trinh notes.
“Guidelines for vaccines tend to change;
what was recommended five years ago
might not be the same now so it’s
important to make sure you have the most
current information.”
Dr. Trinh recommends seeking out the
current guidelines for vaccinations for
both children and adults, as published
by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) and other health
organizations.
Unlike many other vaccinations, one
in particular requires an annual booster
– the flu vaccine, which protects
against different strains of the
influenza virus. Dr. Trinh explains why
it is necessary to get vaccinated each
year.
“The reason you get a flu shot
annually is because there are hundreds
of flu strains and the strain can be
different year to year. The World Health
Organization (WHO) tries to survey each
year to find the most common strains and
make a vaccine to protect from those
specific viruses. In effect, each year
you’re getting a different type of flu
shot.”
Flu season generally runs between
October and April, so early to mid-fall
is a good time to start thinking about
scheduling an appointment for the
vaccination. In the absence of a vaccine
shortage, Dr. Trinh recommends that all
those eligible for the vaccine receive
it to protect themselves and those
around them.
High risk groups for the flu include
children 6 months to 2 years of age,
pregnant women, individuals age 50 and
older and those with chronic medical
problems such as asthma, emphysema or
cancer, according to Dr. Trinh.
Because certain populations,
including infants under 6 months cannot
receive the flu vaccine, it is important
for caregivers, including grandparents,
and others that come into contact with
susceptible populations, to get
vaccinated in order to avoid
transmitting the virus to them, he adds.
Staying current on vaccinations is
also very important for those who will
be traveling to various parts of the
world.
“The main point with travel
vaccinations is to make sure you’re
up-to-date on boosters since immunity
from childhood vaccinations can decrease
over time,” Dr. Trinh says. “You should
make sure to receive the tetanus booster
every 10 years. There is now a tetanus,
diptheria and pertusssis combo shot
available. Polio is another booster that
you need to stay on top of. All
travelers should look at the CDC’s Web
site for traveler’s health information
in regards to their particular
destination.”
For an overview of the CDC’s
recommendations for travel vaccinations,
visit
http://www.cdc.gov/travel/contentVaccinations.aspx.
Dr. Trinh says the best way to make
sure that you and your family remain
up-to-date on vaccinations – and
therefore protected from many
preventable diseases – is to make an
appointment for an annual exam and
discuss your vaccination history with
your physician.
To find a local family practice
doctor, visit Washington Hospital
Healthcare System’s Web site at
www.whhs.com and click on “Find a
Physician.”
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