2. The History of Vaccines
The concept of vaccines have been
around for centuries.
First vaccines in the modern sense
created in 1796 by the use of
inoculation.
The most famous landmark with
vaccines was in 1955, when Jonas Salk
created the polio vaccine. This led to
the eradication of polio in the
Americas by 1994.
3. Vaccines: How do they work?
Most vaccines consist of weakened or dead microbes
Macrophages break down the microbes
The antigens from the microbes are transported to
lymphocytes, which send a signal to create T and B
cells.
These cells are used to fight infection, however due to
the small amount of microbes in a vaccine, these cells
are translated in memory cells which permanently
protect the body from disease.
4. What do vaccines do for public health?
Vaccines can ultimately lead to the eradication of
diseases. With vaccines we have eradicated polio,
smallpox, diphtheria, and many more other potentially
lethal diseases.
Vaccines establish herd immunity
Vaccines help in isolating those who are sick, since
transmition is impossible.
6. The Anti Vaccine Debate
Vaccines can cause Autism
Vaccines contain harmful heavy metals
Vaccines aren't needed for diseases that have been
eradicated
Vaccines can cause the disease that they are trying to
eradicate
7. The Andrew Wakefield Controversy
In 1998, Andrew Wakefield and a team
of researchers discovered a link
between Autism and the MMR vaccine.
This finding caused mass uproar over
whether vaccines are a public health
risk.
However, the findings were deemed
false after further investigation pinning
Wakefield to false lab findings in
exchange for £400,000
Andrew Wakefield’s findings are still
used by the Anti-vaccine movement as
evidence.
8. Thimerosal
Thimerosal is a chemical in vaccines used to preserve
dead microbes.
The WHO organization announced a removal of
Thimerosal from vaccines in 1999 after finding the
toxicity levels in the preservative to be too high.
However this finding was false, and the WHO
organization continued to allow Thimerosal in
vaccines.
Misconceptions of Thimerosal continue among the
community.
9. Vaccine derived Poliovirus
In the 1970s, reports of the orally
distributed polio vaccine creating a new
strand of poliovirus was released.
3 strains of vaccine derived poliovirus
exist, and are incredibly rare for a varied
of reasons. (1 in 2.7 million chance)
This is an issue only with the oral polio
vaccine, which has seen less use in the
United States however has seen increased
use in Nigeria and other developing
nations.