Protective vaccinations that we "passed" in childhood, do not have to protect for life. Some are worth repeating, others require booster doses. It is worth remembering to avoid diseases that can be easily prevented by vaccination. What diseases should adults vaccinate against?

So far, vaccines protect us best against bacteria and viruses. They are safe, almost painless and can save you a lot of he alth problems, even save your life. Provided that they are taken in accordance with the prescribed schemes.

We believe that we will not get jaundice, i.e. viral hepatitis, tetanus or flu, and mumps, rubella or chicken pox only affect children, so we do not get vaccinated. Meanwhile, doctors warn that the concept of "childhood disease" in medicine has ceased to function, because adults also suffer from it.

Contents:

  1. Vaccination for adults: pneumococci
  2. Adult vaccination: whooping cough
  3. Vaccination for adults: tetanus and diphtheria
  4. Vaccination for adults: hepatitis A and hepatitis B
  5. Vaccination for adults: measles, mumps, rubella
  6. Adult Vaccination: Chickenpox
  7. Adult Vaccination: Flu
  8. Vaccination for adults: tick-borne encephalitis

Vaccination for adults: pneumococci

People with a weakened immune system, chronically ill, with a spleen removed, seniors, and smokers should be vaccinated against pneumococci (they cause otitis, pharyngitis, pneumonia, bronchitis). Two types of pneumococcal vaccine are currently available - polysaccharide and conjugate. The doctor decides which vaccine is appropriate for a given patient, and in the case of indications for the administration of both preparations, will determine in what order and at what intervals they should be administered.

Scheme:Adults - single dose of the vaccine.

Adult vaccination: whooping cough

Neither disease nor vaccination will result in sustained immunity against whooping cough. Taking 4 doses in childhood immunizes for 7-10 years, and disease for less.

For whom: Vaccination is especially recommended for women who are pregnant or planning pregnancy, and for all those who look after newborns and infants. Vaccinating caregivers has a "cocoon effect" to protect children who are not yet bornvaccinations are completed, they become easily infected and become more ill.

Schedule:for all adults every 10 years booster dose of the combined vaccine against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis.

According to an expert

Why should all adults be vaccinated against whooping cough?

drug Agnieszka Motyl - epidemiologist : A steady increase in the incidence of whooping cough has been observed since the mid-90s. Most of these cases are among adolescents and adults. It is these people who are the main source of infection for newborns and young, non-immune infants. For such young children, whooping cough may be severe, with neurological complications such as seizures, brain edema, intracranial bleeding, hypoxic encephalopathy, permanent sequelae of mental retardation or epilepsy, and even death.

Whooping cough vaccination is recommended for all adults, especially women planning pregnancy, pregnant women and their partners, and people who have contact with newborns and infants. Vaccination against whooping cough given in the third trimester of pregnancy is safe and protects both the woman and the child, who in the first weeks after birth is particularly exposed to complications in the course of whooping cough.

Since no single pertussis vaccine is available, vaccination is carried out with a combined preparation to immunize against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis.

Vaccination for adults: tetanus and diphtheria

Diphtheria is a forgotten disease in Poland, but it is easy to get infected with tetanus - even a minor cut is enough when the wound becomes dirty with earth. The disease, which is often fatal, is caused by a toxin produced by bacteria in the soil and faeces.

For whom: Everyone who has not been vaccinated or who do not have vaccination documentation should get vaccinated.

Schedule:three doses per cycle: one month from the first and 6-12 months from the second. People who have completed the vaccination course every 10 years should receive a booster dose, preferably a combined vaccine against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis.

Vaccination for adults: hepatitis A and hepatitis

Vaccination againstHepatitis A( food jaundice ) is recommended for people with hepatitis B (so-called inoculation jaundice) or C (hepatitis type C) - overlapping viruses can exacerbate the disease, people employed in the production and distribution of food, disposal of municipal waste and liquid waste, and people traveling to countries withinsufficient hygiene (we become infected through the digestive tract).

For whom: against hepatitis B (we become infected through blood and sexually) should be vaccinated by all persons not subject to compulsory vaccinations, mainly those preparing for procedures, surgery, pregnant, elderly, chronically ill, infected with hepatitis C.

People who have never been ill and have never been vaccinated are recommended a combination vaccine against hepatitis A and hepatitis B.

Schedule:Combined vaccine against hepatitis A + B - three doses at intervals of one month from the first and six months from the second. For adults, an accelerated schedule can be used - the second dose is 7 days from the first, 21 days from the second and the fourth dose after a year. Completed vaccination cycle protects for life. The same schemes are used in the case of vaccination against hepatitis B.

Vaccination against hepatitis A requires two doses 6-12 months apart.

Vaccination for adults: measles, mumps, rubella

Today, only a combination vaccine is used against these diseases.

For whom:Women planning pregnancy who have not had the disease and have not been vaccinated against rubella should get vaccinated, because this disease is responsible for developmental defects, fetal death, miscarriage (vaccination should be end at least 1 month before pregnancy), and men who have not been vaccinated and have not had mumps as it may lead to male infertility.

In addition to the testes, pigs attack all parenchymal organs (e.g. salivary glands, liver, spleen, thyroid gland) - the older a person, the more severe the disease is.

Measles is a serious disease, it may end in inflammation of the lungs, even of the brain. Therefore, vaccination is recommended for all unvaccinated people.

Schedule:people who have never been vaccinated - two doses 4 weeks apart, people who in childhood took one dose - one dose.

According to an expert

Why should not only children be vaccinated against measles, but also adults?

drug Agnieszka Motyl - epidemiologist : Measles is an acute, viral infectious disease that spreads very easily among non-immune people of all ages. One patient can infect 12-18 non-immune people on average. This disease should not be taken lightly, as complications of measles affect up to 30% of patients. They occur mainly among children up to 5 years of age and adults over 20 years of age as well as people with impaired immunity.

Who should get the measles vaccine?

First of all, people who were not vaccinated and did not suffer from measles should get vaccinated. Fullprotection is ensured by administration of 2 doses of the vaccine with an interval of at least 4 weeks, therefore people vaccinated with only one dose of the vaccine should obligatorily take a second dose.

Currently, measles vaccination is performed with a combined vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella. All vaccines against measles, mumps and rubella registered in Poland are approved for use in children and adults.

A complete vaccination consists of two doses of vaccine given at least 4 weeks apart. It is not recommended to administer the vaccine during pregnancy, and you should not become pregnant for 1 month after vaccination.

Adult Vaccination: Chickenpox

Chicken pox is the most common infectious disease among children, which may end in inflammation of the meninges, brain and cerebellum with permanent damage (disturbance of walking, balance, vision). It is very dangerous for infected infants in the perinatal period.

For whom:Vaccination is recommended for people who were not ill, mainly for women planning a child (vaccination should be completed one month before pregnancy).

Schedule:2 doses 6 weeks apart.

Adult Vaccination: Flu

Flu is a seasonal disease which, due to possible complications and the possible outbreak of an epidemic, is particularly dangerous.

For whom:Everyone should get vaccinated, especially people who are particularly vulnerable to infection (teachers, he alth care workers, sales staff), pregnant women and women planning to become pregnant, because the disease may cause miscarriage or death of the fetus (it is best to get vaccinated in the second and third trimesters during pregnancy, but in the event of an influenza epidemic, the vaccine is administered regardless of what month it is), chronically ill, people over 55 years of age, immunocompromised.

Schedule:take one dose, preferably before the flu season starts, although it is worth getting vaccinated even during an ongoing epidemic.

Vaccination for adults: tick-borne encephalitis

Tick-borne encephalitis is caused by a virus in the saliva of an infected tick. Symptoms (similar to the flu) appear 7-14 days after the bite. With age, the risk of complications (paresis, paralysis, depression, neurosis) increases, and sometimes the brain becomes permanently damaged.

For whom:Everyone who spends time in nature (meadow, forest, park) should get vaccinated, especially in the most "jammed" areas (in Poland, Warmia, Masuria , Podlasie).

Schedule:three doses at intervals of 1-3 monthsfrom the first and 5-12 months from the second; in the accelerated cycle, the second after 14 days from the first, and the third after 5-12 months. The second dose immunizes almost one hundred percent, but only the third dose gives you complete confidence. The first booster dose should be given after 3 years, the next - every 3-5 years, depending on the preparation and the patient's age.

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