Approach to Pediatric Immunizations Flashcards
What is a vaccine?
product that stimulates a person’s immune system to produce immunity to a specific disease & protect them from that disease
initiates the immunization process
What is a vaccination?
starting the process of giving a vaccine into body that results in immunity
How can you give a vaccine?
needle or nose
What is immunity?
person is protected from getting a disease (via humor or cell immune system) by receiving a vaccine or previously having the disease
What is immunization?
person is immune or resistant to a disease
What are the 2 main benefits of vaccination?
individual immunity
herd immunity
What is community immunity?
even people who are unvaccinated, they will be protected from a disease if a certain % of rest of population is vaccinated/immune to that disease
How do disease outbreaks tend to occur?
community vaccination rates drop below threshold of herd immunity
people who do not get vaccinations tend to live together
When do people receive the most vaccines?
in first 2 years of life (most vulnerable time period)
most concentrated series of vaccines
What is a major reason for vaccination?
one of most cost-effective clinical preventive services
What is active immunization?
when an antigen is administered to host
induces formation of antibodies (humoral) & cell-mediated immunity (T cells)
What are the desirable features of an ideal immunogen?
complete prevention of disease
prevention of carrier state of disease
prolonged immunity w/ fewest immunizations
absence of toxicity
suitability for mass immunization (cheap & easy to give)
Why is active immunization preferable to passive?
active immunization almost always lasts longer than passive
What is passive immunization?
transfer of immunity to a host using pre-formed immunologic products (immunoglobulins or products of cellular immune system)
When is passive immunization useful?
individuals unable to form ABs
prevent of disease post-exposure
treat of disease prevented by immunization (tetanus)
treatment for conditions when active immunization is unavailable or impractical (snake bite!)
What are complications of human ABs?
transient hypotension & pruritis, occasional hypersensitivity rxn
What are complications of animal ABs?
anaphylaxis b/c serum sickness
What is required before using animal ABs?
must test for hypersensitivity to animal serum prior to administration
How long do exog Abs last?
human IgG lasts 23 days & animal IgGs last 5-7days
What are credible internet resources for vaccine information & recommendations?
CDC (cdc.gov)
Red Book
What vaccine best stimulates immune responses?
vaccines w/ sub-unit antigens (w/ the parts that are the best stimulators)
What are conj vaccines?
pathogens are surrounded by polysaccharide to increase immunogenic power
What are live attenuated vaccines?
version of microbe weakened in lab
stronger mucosal immunity develops but may have some minor side effects
What are contraindications of live attenuated vaccines?
person is immunocompromised OR if have received blood products in recent past (affects immunogenicity)
What are inactivated/killed vaccines?
pathogen is killed but immunogenicity is retained
What are inactivated toxin vaccines?
for diseases that are caused by toxin produced from bacteria
toxin is inactivated but bacteria still stimulates immune response
What 2 factors determine when a vaccine will be given?
when body’s immune system will work best
balanced w/ need to provide protection to infants & children @ earliest age possible
When is the only time you would give a vaccine early?
only w/ a specific CDC mandate (if outbreak of disease)
What is the vaccine protocol for influenza?
yearly vaccine (1 dose if over 9 & 2 doses for 6month-9yo)
important for very young, very old & chronically ill pts
What is the vaccine protocol for meningococcal vaccines?
2 conjugate vaccines that protect v 4 strains
2 non-conj vaccines that protect v strain B of meningitis
When is a non-conj, 23 valent pneumococcal vaccine used?
for high risk pts w/ chronic lung disease, chronic cardiac/renal/liver disease, diabetes, immunocompromising conditions
What is Hib vaccine used for?
Hib was leading cause of bactermia, meningitis & epiglottitis
When is the HepB vaccine series started?
infections in newborn results in chronic carrier state
What do HepB & HepA cause?
acute & chronic liver disease, hepatocellular carcinoma & death
What is DTaP vaccine used for?
protects v diphtheria (causes respiratory obstruction) & whooping cough & tetanus
What is tetanus?
causes severe muscle spasms provoked by neurotoxin that can progress to respiratory failure
What is the type of polio vaccine used in US?
use of IPV in US b/c polio has mostly been eradicated
What do the HPV vaccines protect against?
protect against 2 most common HPV types (16 & 18 that cause cervical cancer)
What does the MMR & varicella vaccines protect against?
measles, mumps, rubella & varicella
give 2 doses of both vaccines @ 12 months & 4-6yo (live virus)
has largely caused decline in these diseases
What is the risk assoc w/ the rotavirus vaccine?
live virus so small risk of intussusception
vaccine requires 2 to 3 doses
Why has there been a rise in measles?
resurgence due to globalization & vaccine hesitancy
How do pockets of disease tend to develop?
globalization leads to people bringing disease to new area where those are under-vaccinated
What is an endemic?
a disease occurs @ a predictable & constant rate in population
What are the 4 myths about vaccines?
MMR causes autism
people w/ egg allergy cannot get the flu vaccine
vaccines cause the disease
not getting immunizations decreases overall lifetime risk for child
What is important about giving vaccines?
education!!
risk of getting disease from going thru life is much greater than the risk of a vaccine
