The issue of vaccinating children is an acute one in our country. With the development of information technology, modern parents of babies have the opportunity to receive a variety of information about the feasibility of vaccinating their crumbs. Unfortunately, in most cases, the information obtained in this way is false, distorted, which leads to an unjustified refusal of vaccination. Even more protest is caused by vaccinations, which are recommended for universal implementation in a situation of spread of the disease. So, unscheduled vaccination against polio has led to serious confrontations between supporters and opponents of vaccinations. In our article, we will try to explain in an accessible manner why immunization is carried out and what risks exist.
Vaccination schedule
Despite various fears of parents of babies, doctors recommend vaccinating the child against polio as early as possible. So, the first vaccine according to the calendar approved by the Ministry of Health is assigned to a three-month-old child. The next vaccination is carried out 45 days after the previous one. And the last - six months from birth. Then revaccination of one and a half years and 14 years is necessary. Such a schedule of vaccinations against polio allows you to develop a stable immunity to the virus.
When are children vaccinated additionally?
In some cases, an unscheduled vaccination against polio is carried out. It happens:
- if it is impossible to confirm the fact of vaccinating the child;
- before visiting countries with an unfavorable epidemiological situation;
- when fixing cases of wild polio in the country of residence.
Vaccine history
Polio just a few decades ago was a dangerous and incurable disease. There was a high mortality rate among patients. Only in the twentieth century, the American scientist Jonas Salk created a vaccine against such a disease. For the first time, children were vaccinated with an inactivated solution in 1954. But, unfortunately, the experiment was unsuccessful - a large percentage of schoolchildren who received an injection from polio had symptoms of a virus infection and fatal outcomes were recorded. After this incident, the vaccine was banned for use.
The next attempt to develop a polio vaccine was made in 1957 by scientist Albert Sabin. He created an oral drug based on a live virus. Tests have proven the relative safety and high effectiveness of this polio prophylaxis. In 1963, the oral vaccine began to be used in most countries of the world. But the results obtained showed the lack of effectiveness of the drug based on the live virus. In addition, cases of the development of serious complications after the introduction of OPV (vaccine) were officially recorded. This fact caused a great public outcry. After that, this drug was banned for use in most developed countries of the world.
Types of vaccines
Despite the fact that numerous studies have proved the negative effect of immunization drugs on the human body, the disease itself is no less dangerous. Therefore, universal vaccination was not canceled, but a specific schedule of vaccinations against polio was developed. Moreover, in different countries it differs not only in the timing, but also in the types of drugs used.
To date, vaccines based on inactivated virus and live. Each of these types has advantages and disadvantages (more details below).
Vaccination against poliomyelitis in different countries
In developed countries, calendar vaccinations, as well as unscheduled vaccination against polio, are carried out exclusively by inactivated drug. In CIS countries, babies who are 3 and 4.5 months old are vaccinated in this way. from birth. At the third stage of immunization (at 6 months), as well as in all subsequent revaccinations, a drug based on a live virus is used.
On the African continent and in Asia, only the live vaccine is still being vaccinated. This is because such a drug is much cheaper than an inactivated analogue.
Benefits of OPV
An oral vaccine is a drug made on the basis of a living, but laboratory-weakened polio virus. In addition, such a tool necessarily includes antibiotics in its composition to prevent the propagation of pathogenic microflora. What is the mechanism of action of this vaccine? In fact, after taking the drug inside, a person becomes infected with polio. But due to the fact that the virus is weakened, it does not pose a health hazard.
However, such a vaccine has both advantages and disadvantages. The advantages include the following facts:
- painless administration (in many countries, the required amount of the drug is still dripped onto a piece of sugar and offered to children);
- OPV (vaccine) is a combination, that is, it protects against three types of polio strains;
- live virus preparations are much cheaper to produce than IPV;
- oral vaccine causes not only humoral immunity, but also tissue, which cannot be achieved with an inactivated drug.
disadvantages
It also has the disadvantages of OPV (vaccine). You can specify the following:
- As a result of the fact that the drug is made on the basis of a live virus, there is a risk of real infection with the paralytic form of poliomyelitis. This complication after vaccination is called vaccine-associated disease (VAP). This condition is caused by polio strains, which are the components of the drug for immunization. Typically, cases of VAP develop as a result of improper dosage of the vaccine, as well as improper storage and transportation conditions. Individual sensitivity to the components of the drug cannot be ruled out.
- It is not recommended to vaccinate a child against polio with an oral vaccine if there is a pregnant woman or other unvaccinated child in the immediate environment of the baby, as well as persons with weakened immune systems. This carries the risk of infection with the virus for these categories of people.
- Despite manufacturers' beliefs, a live vaccine is more likely to cause adverse reactions than IPV.
- It is important to clarify the composition of such a drug: it includes 3 types of virus strains, 2 antibiotics (Streptomycin and Neomycin) and formaldehyde as a preservative.
IPV vaccine
When asked which polio vaccine is safer, most will say that it is inactivated. And to a certain extent this is true. The undoubted advantage of IPV is the impossibility of developing VAP, since there are no live viruses in the inactivated preparation, which are the source of infection. Also, as a result of using "non-living" strains of the virus, the risk of developing post-vaccination complications and adverse reactions is reduced.
Nevertheless, the composition of the drug also includes preservatives and antibiotics. In addition, the impossibility of collective immunization, as well as the lack of the formation of tissue local protection, can be attributed to the disadvantages of IPV. The latter factor significantly reduces the effectiveness of polio vaccination, since the main ways of transmitting a viral disease are food, water and household.
Such immunization is carried out by subcutaneous or intramuscular injection in the thigh, under the shoulder blade, in the shoulder.
Vaccine names
In our country today they use the polio vaccine OPV "Polio oral." Inactivated virus is used in drugs such as:
- Imovax Polio.
- Infanrix.
- "DTP".
- Pentaxim.
- Tetracock.
All of the above, except for Imovax Polio, are multicomponent vaccines, that is, those that form a defense against several viral diseases, in particular polio, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hemophilic infection.
Possible adverse reactions and complications
It is worth noting that serious complications occur extremely rarely and more often in people with immunodeficiency or congenital disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as in case of non-compliance with vaccination rules. According to statistics, there has been an increase in adverse reactions when large-scale unscheduled vaccination against poliomyelitis is carried out. It is in such a situation that the facts of improper storage and transportation of the drug, incorrect dosage calculations and other violations are most often recorded.
What adverse reactions can occur after vaccination? The most dangerous complication is the development of VAP after vaccination with the live virus.
Common adverse reactions after immunization against polio with OPV and IPV vaccines are:
- temperature increase (up to 38 degrees) after vaccination;
- allergic reactions;
- violation of the stool.
In most cases, all these symptoms do not require special treatment and disappear on their own after 1-2 days. But if the baby is bothered by such complaints for a long period, or if the condition of the small patient worsens, it is urgent to seek medical help. You should also immediately go to the hospital if you find symptoms such as cough, runny nose against a background of fever, as well as cramps, lethargy, vomiting, decreased sensitivity of the limbs.
Do I need to vaccinate children against polio?
This question worries not only young parents, but also global scientists and researchers. Refusal of vaccination will lead to a large-scale epidemic of the disease. We must not forget that the consequences of polio can be the most adverse. The most common complications of this disease are: meningitis, deformation of the extremities, a halt in development, central nervous system disorders (including paralysis). In addition, the virus is transmitted by airborne droplets and by the food route, which means that it is impossible to protect the baby from infection. It turns out that the only preventative measure for this disease is immunization, despite the existing low risks of adverse reactions. You should not refuse from such an event as an unscheduled vaccination against polio. A similar measure is carried out solely for the purpose of preventing the disease.
Contraindications
When is vaccination not recommended? The main contraindications are as follows:
- exacerbation of a chronic or infectious disease;
- neurological complications of previous vaccination;
- immunodeficiency;
- individual intolerance to the components of the drug.
Polio vaccination: vaccination rules
In order to reduce the existing risks of complications after vaccination, as well as increase the effectiveness of vaccination, some recommendations should be made:
- Before immunization, you must undergo a medical examination;
- you can not eat and drink an hour before and an hour after vaccination with OPV;
- a month after vaccination is not recommended to increase physical activity or change the diet;
- heavy fatty and sweet foods should be excluded (nursing mothers also need to review their nutrition);
- after vaccination (1-2 weeks), it is recommended to avoid crowded places.
Should a child be vaccinated against polio? There is no definite answer to this question - in any case, there are certain risks. When making a decision, it should be remembered that this disease is extremely dangerous. Complications after suffering a wild-virus infection can be very serious, including disability and death.