ABC-Animal - Virology Chronicle
To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinated, That is the Question !
How do vaccines help protect living organisms from certain diseases?
Below are the principles of vaccination:
1) An individual (animal or human) receives a vaccine containing an infectious agent, also called a pathogenic germ or antigen.
2) The individual’s immune system is then activated and produces specific antibodies to combat this antigen.
3) The body’s immune defense holds a memory of the antigen for a certain period of time (a few weeks to a few years). The immune response varies according to species, race, age, living conditions and particularly, the health of the individual.
4) In the future, if the individual encounters the antigen contained in the vaccine and if his immune system is ready to manufacture an army of specific antibodies, he will easily eliminate the antigen, and the infectious agent will die. The attack therefore goes basically unnoticed.
5) Mission accomplished!
Think about it !
Caroline Fortin, D.V.M.
Veterinarian
www.ABC-Animal.com
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