Medicine is a constantly advancing field of activity, and new medications and surgical procedures are sometimes highly unpredictable, or where they succeed, immensely impressive. Most of the time, patients treated using modern medicine are happy with the outcome. Be that as it may, there are still those conditions which cannot be effectively treated, and many of these are caused by infectious elements known as viruses. The modern response to viral infection and transmission is to develop a suitable medication, through vaccine formulation development.
Unlike other pathogens, a virus cannot be destroyed by an antibiotic, since, technically it is not alive (i. E. Biotic in nature). Also, it is a germ, so it cannot be eliminated through mechanical techniques such as surgery or ultrasound. The only effective known intervention is a vaccine.
The principle behind a vaccine is extremely simple. It is similar to the virus in question, so it elicits the same response in the patient's body, but it does not have the same serious or lethal outcome. It therefore causes the body to start producing antibodies, once the immune system has registered that the virus-like particles are in the system.
These antibodies are the natural reaction to the viral infection. The immune system manufactures them in response to the virus' presence, and only the human body is able to do this. After the infection has been eliminated, the antibodies remain in the system, preventing relapses for the rest of the person's life. This is why vaccination has the potential to bring about permanent resistance (or immunity) to a specific virus.
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 lethal or serious sicknesses are the result of viral activity. The hemorrhagic fever Ebola is one, as is AIDS, meningitis (in one of its forms), and, as mentioned in the preceding paragraph, polio (which paralyses the patient if left untreated). Targeting these viruses for immunization development is obviously a primary priority in modern medicine. The public recognizes this priority, and the media are not slow to report on attempts to formulate an antidote to a notorious disease, no matter how empty such attempts may turn out to be.
Once a vaccine has been formulated, however, the same virus may yet become a problem in the future. This occurs through the natural process of genetic mutation, during the reproduction of the virus. Viruses do this constantly, and so they may turn into a new form or strain, one which is not affected by the patient's antibodies. This sounds terrifying, but it is common. A prime example if the flu virus, which takes on a new strain every year, and so no vaccine has been developed for it. The common cold does the same. No pharmacological intervention lasts more than one season against these viruses, and immunization is therefore not a long-term solution to them.
Ultimately, people should realize that a vaccine is only part of the solution to public infection and epidemics. If they are to be safe, people should also try to exercise sound personal health habits. Many illnesses, such as AIDS, can be prevented through basic practical precautions, and relying on science to produce cures is not always an option or even sensible.
Unlike other pathogens, a virus cannot be destroyed by an antibiotic, since, technically it is not alive (i. E. Biotic in nature). Also, it is a germ, so it cannot be eliminated through mechanical techniques such as surgery or ultrasound. The only effective known intervention is a vaccine.
The principle behind a vaccine is extremely simple. It is similar to the virus in question, so it elicits the same response in the patient's body, but it does not have the same serious or lethal outcome. It therefore causes the body to start producing antibodies, once the immune system has registered that the virus-like particles are in the system.
These antibodies are the natural reaction to the viral infection. The immune system manufactures them in response to the virus' presence, and only the human body is able to do this. After the infection has been eliminated, the antibodies remain in the system, preventing relapses for the rest of the person's life. This is why vaccination has the potential to bring about permanent resistance (or immunity) to a specific virus.
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 lethal or serious sicknesses are the result of viral activity. The hemorrhagic fever Ebola is one, as is AIDS, meningitis (in one of its forms), and, as mentioned in the preceding paragraph, polio (which paralyses the patient if left untreated). Targeting these viruses for immunization development is obviously a primary priority in modern medicine. The public recognizes this priority, and the media are not slow to report on attempts to formulate an antidote to a notorious disease, no matter how empty such attempts may turn out to be.
Once a vaccine has been formulated, however, the same virus may yet become a problem in the future. This occurs through the natural process of genetic mutation, during the reproduction of the virus. Viruses do this constantly, and so they may turn into a new form or strain, one which is not affected by the patient's antibodies. This sounds terrifying, but it is common. A prime example if the flu virus, which takes on a new strain every year, and so no vaccine has been developed for it. The common cold does the same. No pharmacological intervention lasts more than one season against these viruses, and immunization is therefore not a long-term solution to them.
Ultimately, people should realize that a vaccine is only part of the solution to public infection and epidemics. If they are to be safe, people should also try to exercise sound personal health habits. Many illnesses, such as AIDS, can be prevented through basic practical precautions, and relying on science to produce cures is not always an option or even sensible.
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