The science of modern medicine may appear as sophisticated and technologically advanced to outside observers, and some techniques and pharmacological interventions lead to unstable outcomes or are difficult to forecast. Many patients are successfully treated by them. Yet there remain those illnesses which cannot be treated at all, and a significant proportion of the latter are the result of infection by what are known as viruses. The main imperative in approaching an untreatable virus is vaccine formulation development.
The standard response nowadays to infection is to resort to an antibiotic. However, viruses do not respond to these, because they are not biotic organisms. Technically, they are not alive, so antibiotic measures are useless in trying to eliminate them. Surgery and other procedures, such as radiation, are equally non-applicable. The only sure measure is a vaccine.
It operates on the basis of a very simple principle. It mimics infection by the targeted virus in the patient's body, and thereby encourages the body to develop viral anti-bodies. The body produces the anti-bodies as soon as it detects the vaccine.
These antibodies are only manufactured by the human immune system. They entirely eliminate the viral particles. Once the infection has been destroyed, though, the antibodies remain in the system indefinitely, preventing any future recurrence of that specific virus. By using immunization, life-long immunity is therefore generated without authentic infection taking place.
This permanent resistance is the reason why young kids are vaccinated against certain obvious, common diseases, such as polio or measles. Once immunized, people remain safe fort he rest of their lives, since the antibodies are always present. Even extremely mundane, seemingly innocuous illnesses, such as smallpox, were immense threats to public health in the past and the introduction of effective vaccines was the main step in removing them from society.
Some of the most serious diseases are viral in nature, such as the notorious Ebola, AIDS, viral meningitis (which sets in within 48 hours and has terrible symptoms), and, as stated above, polio. These are all potentially lethal infections. The development of vaccines to counter them is thus of extreme importance.
Over time, however, a virus may mutate and return to a medication-resistant state. It either mutates into a new genetic form (strain), or simply develops resistance against the patient's antibodies. As frightening as this may sound, it is an ongoing phenomenon, as seen, for example, in the case of the influenza virus, which presents in a new strain every year. There is no immunization process against it because it mutates too quickly.
As effective as a vaccine may be, the public should also be aware that sensible personal health habits are important too. Observing simple principles of personal safety and health are important in limiting or preventing infections and epidemics, especially where the disease is incurable, such as AIDS. In such cases, there is no vaccine, and so relying on one is neither an option nor is it necessary.
The standard response nowadays to infection is to resort to an antibiotic. However, viruses do not respond to these, because they are not biotic organisms. Technically, they are not alive, so antibiotic measures are useless in trying to eliminate them. Surgery and other procedures, such as radiation, are equally non-applicable. The only sure measure is a vaccine.
It operates on the basis of a very simple principle. It mimics infection by the targeted virus in the patient's body, and thereby encourages the body to develop viral anti-bodies. The body produces the anti-bodies as soon as it detects the vaccine.
These antibodies are only manufactured by the human immune system. They entirely eliminate the viral particles. Once the infection has been destroyed, though, the antibodies remain in the system indefinitely, preventing any future recurrence of that specific virus. By using immunization, life-long immunity is therefore generated without authentic infection taking place.
This permanent resistance is the reason why young kids are vaccinated against certain obvious, common diseases, such as polio or measles. Once immunized, people remain safe fort he rest of their lives, since the antibodies are always present. Even extremely mundane, seemingly innocuous illnesses, such as smallpox, were immense threats to public health in the past and the introduction of effective vaccines was the main step in removing them from society.
Some of the most serious diseases are viral in nature, such as the notorious Ebola, AIDS, viral meningitis (which sets in within 48 hours and has terrible symptoms), and, as stated above, polio. These are all potentially lethal infections. The development of vaccines to counter them is thus of extreme importance.
Over time, however, a virus may mutate and return to a medication-resistant state. It either mutates into a new genetic form (strain), or simply develops resistance against the patient's antibodies. As frightening as this may sound, it is an ongoing phenomenon, as seen, for example, in the case of the influenza virus, which presents in a new strain every year. There is no immunization process against it because it mutates too quickly.
As effective as a vaccine may be, the public should also be aware that sensible personal health habits are important too. Observing simple principles of personal safety and health are important in limiting or preventing infections and epidemics, especially where the disease is incurable, such as AIDS. In such cases, there is no vaccine, and so relying on one is neither an option nor is it necessary.
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