Every year, the last week of April is celebrated as ‘World Vaccination Week’ to remind us of the importance of vaccines.
Prof. Süleyman Demirel University Hospital, Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology. Dr. Füsun Zeynep Akçam shared some information on the occasion of Vaccination Week and pointed out the importance of vaccination. Explaining the necessity of vaccination in the adult age group, Prof. Dr. Akçam said that a ‘Vaccination Polyclinic’ was opened at SDÜ Hospital in order to raise awareness in the society.
Prof. Dr. Füsun Zeynep Akçam shared the following information;
Infectious diseases are preventable diseases. Immunization is one of the ways to protect against infectious diseases.
Immunization is the process of protecting an individual against infectious diseases by artificially stimulating the immune system. Immunization is provided either actively by vaccination or passively by immunoglobulin administration. Vaccines are suspensions prepared directly or from certain parts of microorganisms whose virulence (ability to cause disease) has been reduced or killed, and can be administered in various ways (intramuscular, subcutaneous, oral, etc.) in order to stimulate the immune system.
Until recently, vaccination was perceived as a practice specific to the childhood age group, and vaccination practices in adulthood were neglected, with some exceptions. However, today, advances in medical interventions, especially transplantation (organ transplantation) and medical device applications, enable many fatal diseases to be cured. The increase in the elderly population due to the prolongation of life expectancy has made the adult population an important target group for immunization.
If we briefly touch upon vaccination practices in adults; Adult diphtheria tetanus (Td), pneumococcal (pneumonia) and influenza (flu) vaccines are the vaccines recommended for healthy adults. In our country, the first Td vaccine is administered to children aged 13 years as the fifth dose (second booster dose) within the childhood vaccination schedule. After this age, tetanus booster doses must be administered every ten years. The reason for this is that tetanus can develop even with minor injuries that would not be thought of as tetanus. It is possible to contract tetanus and get sick even by being stung by a rose thorn. Follow-up of vaccination applications after this second booster dose, administered under the control of the health authority, depends on the sensitivity of individuals and family physicians. Pneumonia and flu can be severe and fatal, especially in people over the age of 65, people with chronic diseases, and people with weakened immune systems due to illness or medication use. According to World Health Organization data, more than 40,000 adults die every year due to vaccine-preventable diseases. A significant portion of these develop due to pneumococci (pneumonia microbes). For this reason, these vaccines should be administered to every adult with a chronic disease and people over the age of 65, even if they do not have a chronic disease. Although these three vaccines stand out when it comes to adult vaccines, it should not be forgotten that people may have various vaccine needs due to their professions or travel plans.
Awareness that vaccination “save lives” needs to be increased in adults as well as in children. For this purpose, a vaccination polyclinic for the adult age group has been opened in our hospital. In its current state, child and adult vaccines are administered in the same place, and the plans and application schemes of vaccines for the adult age group are made under the control of the Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology.
