Medical Health Encyclopedia

Many vaccinations are first given during infancy. Even premature infants can, in most cases, be given vaccinations on a normal schedule. There is even some evidence that doing so may offer some slight protection against sudden infant death syndrome. Note: These facts pertain to children in the United States. Children from other countries have not been well studied. Parents who adopt internationally may want to have their children''s immunity assessed by a physician. Some evidence suggests that their medical records may not correctly reflect immunization status and that many adopted children, such as those from China, have not had many important vaccinations.

Click the icon to see an animation about vaccines.

Common Adult Vaccines. Vaccinations against the following disorders are also recommended routinely for certain adults:

• Influenza (flu). Every year in high-risk adults under 49 and everyone over 50. When supplies are limited, as with the 2004-2005 flu season, the vaccine should be administered preferentially to adults only over age 65 and to individuals with heart disease, lung disease, and other significant chronic illnesses. Health care providers with direct patient contact, child care providers, and residents of long-term care facilities should also be vaccinated.
• Pneumococcal pneumonia. One dose in high risk adults under 64 and a first dose or a revaccination in everyone over 65.
• Hepatitis A and B and Meningococcal vaccine. Given to high-risk individuals.
• Tetanus. Adults need a booster shot every ten years.
• Measles, mumps, rubella. Typically given to adults under 50 who are unsure of their vaccination history. High-risk individuals may received two doses.
• Varicella (chickenpox). High-risk individuals may received two doses.

Vaccine Forms

Text Continues Below

---

Vaccines are currently taken by mouth (orally) or given by injection (intraveneously). Vaccines are usually made of one of two agents that cause the body to produce antibodies that attack a specific disease. A vaccine may contain:

• A live but weakened virus. Live-virus vaccines provide longer immunity than inactivated ones, but they can cause serious infection in people with weakened immune systems and have also been associated with severe medical disorders in rare instances.
• Inactivated bacteria, viruses, or toxoids. Inactivated vaccines are safe even in people with impaired immune systems.

Click the icon to see an image of antibodies.