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Medical Health Encyclopedia
Immunizations - Other Vaccinations
(Page 3)
Anthrax
Anthrax is an infectious disease caused by the spore-forming bacteria called Bacillus anthracis. Infection in humans most often involves the skin, the gastrointestinal tract, or the lungs.
Anthrax commonly affects hoofed animals such as sheep and goats, but humans who come in contact with the infected animals can get sick from anthrax, too. Historically, the populations most at risk for anthrax included farm workers, veterinarians, and tannery and wool workers. Anthrax is a potential agent for use as a biological weapon or for bioterrorism. In 2001, bioterrorist activities involving the U.S. Postal Service infected 22 people with anthrax; 7 survivors had confirmed cutaneous anthrax disease.
Military personnel and vaccine researchers, as well as people who work with imported animal hides, furs, bone meal, wool, animal hair (especially goat hair), and bristles, should receive an anthrax vaccine. The anthrax vaccine appears to be safe and effective, even after exposure, but requires 6 shots over 18 months. Up to half of recipients develop temporary soreness; some develop fever. Pregnant women should not get the anthrax vaccine.
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Click the icon to see an image of cutaneous anthrax. |
Less Common Vaccinations
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| Disease | Who Should Get It? | Additional Information |
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Adenovirus
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Military personnel.
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Vaccine given orally for the prevention of respiratory illness.
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Yellow Fever
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Travelers to developing countries where outbreaks have occurred, currently parts of Africa and Central and South America. Residents of these areas, particularly children.
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Vaccinations safe and effective for the prevention of jaundice and kidney and liver failure. Anaphylactic reactions in those allergic to eggs. Very rarely, may cause a potentially fatal illness resembling yellow fever, with fever and diarrhea, particularly in seniors. Lower immunity when given with cholera vaccine; the vaccines should be given three weeks apart.
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Cholera
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Travelers to developing countries where outbreaks have occurred.
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Recently developed vaccines (Dukoral, Mutacol) are more effective than previous ones, which provided little protection. Not recommended or available, however, in the US.
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Typhoid
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Travelers to developing countries where outbreaks have occurred.
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Oral vaccines include: (Ty21a, Vivotif). The oral vaccines are not effective against parathyroid fever.
One-shot vaccine (Typhim Vi). Can be taken as early as two weeks before travel. Vi-rEPA is a newer injected vaccine that is safe in children and may be more effective-than other vaccines to date.
No vaccine is 100% effective. The response to the typhoid vaccine tends to be lower in older people.
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Tuberculosis
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Individuals exposed to infected people.
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Bacille Calmette-Guerin vaccine has been the standard vaccine, but its effectiveness has been questioned. No longer recommended in US except for certain high-risk children. A new recombinant BCG vaccine, shown in early trials to be more effective, is now licensed for use and is undergoing continued study.
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