Immunisation for specific diseases

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Health and Social Care        Health, Illness and Disease        Maria Diack

Immunisation for specific diseases

Common Childhood Diseases

Disease – Diphtheria

What is diphtheria?

Diphtheria is a bacterial infection that occurs quickly and spreads easily. The nose and throat are the main affected areas. It is a very contagious disease and can be a potentially life-threatening infection. The age groups that are most at risk for contracting this infection are children under 5 and adults who are over 60 years.  Children and adults who do not have up-to-date immunizations are also at risk, likewise with people who live in crowed or unclean conditions. Also those who are not well nourished are also at risk.

People get diphtheria by breathing in diphtheria bacteria after an infected person has coughed or sneezed. Diphtheria spreads from person to person very easily. Diphtheria can also be contracted from a close contact with discharged from an infected persons mouth, throat, skin or nose.

Causes and Symptoms of diphtheria

Diphtheria can be mistaken for a bad sore throat in the early stages. Other early symptoms include a low-grade fever and swollen neck glands. ’It is caused by a pathogenic bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae. This bacterium multiplies quickly spreading through the upper respiratory tract where it causes inflammation. In more serious cases it can produce a toxin which can enter the blood stream to involve the heart, nerves and brain.’ (1)

Signs and symptoms of diphtheria may include, a sore throat and hoarseness, painful swallowing, swollen glands in your neck, a thick grey membrane covering your throat and tonsils and also difficulty with breathing. Other symptoms include nasal discharge, fever and chills and sickness. A second type of diphtheria can affect the skin. This causing pain, redness and swelling associated with other bacterial skin infections.

Diphtheria has an incubation period of 2-5 and in some cases up to 10 days. Symptoms will show 2-5 days after the bacteria infects a person. The beginning is slow but after the disease develops rapidly.

Risk of long term damage from diphtheria

The bacteria can produce a strong toxin if diphtheria is not treated properly or not treated in times. The poison can spread through the body and causes serious and often life-threatening complications. The heart muscles can be damaged by the toxin and causes heart failure or paralyze the breathing muscles. The membrane that forms over the tonsils can also move deeper into the throat and end up blocking the airway.

What may happen if you are not immunised

Side effects of immunisation 

A child that has had the diphtheria vaccine sometimes can get mild side effects such as redness or tenderness at the injection site, but this will disappear in a few days after the child has had the vaccination. A hard lump ain the same place of the injection can appear but will disappear after a few weeks. Other mild side effects include a slight fever, developing a headache, become unwell, general fussiness or mild crankiness. Long-term seizures or brain damage are extremely rare and also an allergic reaction and other severe complications are rare.

Age group vaccine recommended for

There are three forms of diphtheria immunization the first being DTaP vaccine which is a 3-in-1 vaccine that protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis. Children less than 7 years old can be given this. It is normally given as an injection into the arm or the thigh.

The DT vaccine is a 2-in-1 vaccine that protects against diphtheria and tetanus like the other vaccine but does not protect against pertussis, like the other vaccine it can be given to children less than 7 years old and is usually injected into the arm or thigh.

The final vaccine for diphtheria is the Td vaccine which is for anyone over age 7. It protects against tetanus and diphtheria and contains a slightly different dose of diphtheria vaccine than the DT vaccine. This vaccine is usually injected into the arm.

Duration of immunity

The DTaP vaccine should be given by the age of 18 months old with a booster shot at the age 4-6 years. These booster shots should then be given every 10 years after the first shots for continued protection to be provided.

Disease – Pertussis (Whooping cough)

What is pertussis?

 Pertussis is also called whooping cough and is a highly contagious disease of the mucous membranes that line the air passages. It causes uncontrollable violent coughing which can last several weeks or months. The coughing can make it hard for the person to breathe. The name whooping cough comes from the “whooping” sound that is often heard when the patient tries to take a breath.

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Causes and Symptoms of pertussis

Pertussis generally affects young children, although adults may also sometimes develop the disease. It is caused by a bacterium called Bordetella pertussis and occurs worldwide. The bacteria infects mainly the lining of the trachea and the bronchi. Once it is in contact with these linings it begins to multiply and thick mucus starts to build up.

The first symptoms of pertussis are similar to those of a cold, including sneezing, a runny nose, fever, a sore throat, a feeling of being unwell and a mild cough. The cough gradually becomes worse, breathing becomes hard and ...

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