vaccine preventable diseases.pdf

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Vaccine Preventable Diseases

The following images are all of diseases that can be prevented by vaccination. At onetime, these diseases were much more common. Our parents and grandparents werewitnesses to these diseases. But with vaccination these diseases have become muchrarer and in some cases, completely eradicated from parts of the globe. This rarity hasbecome a form of privilege, allowing a degree of complacency, because people whohave not witnessed the effects of these diseases may no longer understand thepotential seriousness. Important decisions, such as whether or not to vaccinate yourselfor your children, should not be made without a full understanding of the diseases andpotential conditions that vaccines prevent.

Vaccines are much safer than the diseases they were created to prevent. You love yourchildren and want to do what is best for them. If you are unsure about whether tovaccinate, speak with your doctor/pediatrician. Specifically, ask your doctor whetherthey have ever treated a child with a vaccine preventable disease, and what happened.Doctors arent always very good at explaining pros and cons but they can talk from theirown experiences. After all, when your child has a fever or other illness, who do you callfor help? Your doctor is there to keep you or your child healthy. They have had years oftraining. Speak with them about your concerns. Let them share their knowledge withyou so that you can make a fully informed decision.

All these images and the information accompanying them come from the websites ofthe U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/photo-all-vpd.htm ), The World Health Organization (http://www.who.int), the

American Academy of Pediatrics ( www.aap.org ) and Vaccine Information You Need

(http://www.vaccineinformation.org/diseases). Not every case of a particular diseasemay present as seriously as the cases in these images. However, every case of adisease has the potential to become as serious or to develop further complications.

Warning: Some of these images will be difficult to look at and maynot be suitable for children. Proceed at your own risk.

MEASLES

Me sles is a serious disease caused by a vi rus.

Measles is spread person-to-person through the air. It is a very contagious disease.

Measles can cause pneumonia, seizures, brain damage, and even death.

The measles virus is very contagious, so when one person gets infected, it's easyfor the disease to spread. Measles is still common around the world. There havebeen many recent measles outbreaks due to infected people bringing the diseaseinto the United States from other countries.

Vaccination is the best way to prevent measles.

Eyes of child with measles.

Courtesy of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

This late 1960s photograph shows a Nigerian mother and her child who wasrecovering from measles; note that the skin is sloughing on the child as he healsfrom his measles infection. This child was among many who were cared for incamps set up during the CDC-led refugee relief effort during the Nigerian-Biafranwar. Measles was a constant threat in these camps. Sloughing of the skin inrecovering measles patients was often extensive, and resembles that of a burnvictim. Due to their weakened state, children like the one shown here, neednursing care to avoid subsequent infections.

Courtesy Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

POLIO

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o is a disease caused by a virus. People have feared polio for hundreds of yearsause it can paralyze arm, leg, and breathing muscles.

Polio virus is spread when invisible particles of feces (poop) get into your mouth.You can get polio by swallowing contaminated food or water or by puttingcontaminated objects in your mouth.

Polio can be very serious. Sometimes the infected person's legs or arms becomepermanently paralyzed from the virus. Polio can also paralyze the breathingmuscles and cause death.

Polio has been eliminated from the U.S., thanks to vaccination. But the virus is stillcommon in some parts of the world, so your child would be at risk of infection if theytraveled to certain countries without being vaccinated. The virus could also bebrought into the U.S. by a traveler.

Vaccination is the best way to prevent polio disease.

The wild poliovirus usually paralyses children under five years old.

Courtesy of World Health Organization

Child with a severely deformed leg due to polio

Courtesy of World Health Organization

DIPTHERIA

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htheria is a serious disease caused by bacteria. The actual disease is caused whenbacteria release a toxin, or poison, into a person's body.

Diphtheria bacteria live in the mouth, throat, and nose of an infected person and canbe passed to others by coughing or sneezing. Occasionally, transmission occursfrom skin sores or through articles soiled with oozing from sores of infected people.

Diphtheria can lead to severe breathing problems, heart problems, and paralysis.Death occurs in 5%10% of people infected with diphtheria.

Diphtheria was once a greatly feared illness in the United States. In the 1920s, therewere between 100,000 and 200,000 cases of diphtheria each year with 13,00015,000 deaths. Because of widespread immunization and better living conditions,diphtheria is now rare in the United States.

Vaccination is the most effective step you can take to be protected from this seriousdisease.


A severe Diptheria skin lesion on the leg.


MENINGOCOCCAL DISEASE

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ingococcal disease is a life-threatening illness. It is caused by bacteria that infect

blood, brain, and spinal cord. It is one of the most serious causes of meningitis.

The disease is spread person-to-person. It is easily spread in crowded settings. Youcan catch meningitis from a person who looks healthy.

Even with proper treatment, 10% to 15% of people with meningococcal disease die.Of the people who survive, as many as 20% suffer from some serious complication,such as loss of an arm or leg, brain damage, or permanent hearing loss. Meningitiscan cause shock, coma, and death within hours of the first symptom.

The disease most often strikes older teens and young adults. If you travelinternationally or have certain medical conditions, you may also be at risk.

Vaccination is the best way to prevent meningitis.

Meningococcemia rash on the lower extremities

American Academy of Pediatrics

Four-month-old female with gangrene of feet due to meningococcemia

Courtesy Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

MUMPS

Mu ps is a serious diseases caused by a virus.

It is spread person-to-person through the air. Mumps is very contagious.

Mumps can lead to deafness, brain or spinal cord infection, and painful swelling ofthe testicles.

Mumps virus is very contagious, so when one person gets infected, it's easy for the

disease to spread. There have been many recent mumps outbreaks due to infectedpeople bringing the disease into the United States from other countries.

Vaccination is the best way to prevent mumps.

This photo of a young child with mumps shows the characteristic jaw swelling.


TETANUS

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nus is a serious disease caused by bacteria. The actual disease i s caused whenbacteria release a toxin, or poison, into a person's body.

Tetanus gets into the body through cuts or wounds.

Tetanus can cause extremely painful muscle cramps all over the body. This diseasecan be deadly. In the most common form of tetanus, the first sign is spasm of the

jaw muscles, followed by stiffness of the neck, and difficulty in swallowing.

Tetanus lives in the soil, so a child who plays outside can get infected even from asmall injury.


Baby has neonatal tetanus with complete rigidity


Adult with classic signs of tetanus (muscle cramps and rigidity)


HAEMOPHILUS INFLUENZAE TYPE B (Hib)

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(Haemophilus influenzae type b) is a serious disease caused by bacteria. Hibally infects children younger than 5 years old.

Hib is spread person-to-person through the air. Your child can get Hib disease frombeing around children or adults who have Hib bacteria in their nose or throat. Thesepeople may or may not appear sick.

Hib can cause meningitis (infection of the brain and spinal cord). This can lead topermanent deafness and brain damage. Hib infection can also cause pneumonia,blood infections, and severe swelling in the throat that can block breathing and leadto death.

Hib is common throughout the world. Each year, Hib sickens millions of childrenworldwide and kills more than 300,000. The number of children infected by Hib hasgreatly declined in the U.S. because of vaccination, but an unvaccinated child canstill get infected.


Haemophilus influenzae type b. Cellulitis of the arm proven by blood culture


Haemophilus influenzae type b. Cellulitis of the foot proven by blood culture


PERTUSSIS (WHOOPING COUGH)

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ooping cough is a serious disease caused by bacteria. It is called whooping coughause of the "whoop" heard when a person who has it gasps for breath. Whoopinggh is also known as pertussis.

Whooping cough is spread through the air by coughing and sneezing. It is verycontagious.

Whooping cough can trigger coughing so severe that it results in vomiting andbroken ribs. The cough can last for weeks or months. More than half of babiesyounger than one year old who get whooping cough are hospitalized. Babies are themost likely to die from whooping cough or have complications such as seizures andbrain damage.

Whooping cough is most dangerous for babies, but anyone can become seriously illfrom it.

You can protect yourself (and others) by getting vaccinated.

A preschool-aged boy with pertussis (whooping cough) produced thick,respiratory secretions during a severe coughing spell. Pertussis is most severewhen it occurs in the first six months of life.


CHICKEN POX (Varicella Virus)

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hiiickenpox (varicella) is a disease caused by a virus. Most people withckenpox get very itchy blisters and sores all over their body.

Chickenpox is spread person-to-person through the air. It is verycontagious.

Chickenpox can be a serious disease, especially in babies andadults. The disease can cause serious skin infections, pneumonia,brain damage, and even death. Chickenpox is especially dangerousfor people whose immune systems are weak because of il lness ormedications.

Chickenpox is still infecting people in the U.S. and the rest of theworld. It is extremely contagious and can be spread by an infectedperson before they even know they're sick.

Vaccination is the most effective step you can take to be protectedfrom this serious disease.

A 10-month-old infant is pictured on the fifth day of a hemorrhagic varicella(chickenpox) rash. The baby's sores became infected with Staphylococcusaureus (bacteria), requiring antibiotics and renal dialysis. Hemorrhagic varicellais more common among people with compromised immune systems.


This 10-year-old, unvaccinated boy developed varicella (chickenpox) withhemorrhagic lesions.


Rubella (German Measles)

Ru ella (sometimes called German measles) is a disease caused by a virus.

It is spread from person-to-person through the air.

Children with rubella usually first break out in a rash. Older children and adults havea mild fever, swollen glands in the neck or behind the ears, and an upper respiratoryinfection before they develop a rash. Adult women often suffer from aching joints.Many people infected with rubella virus have no symptoms at all.

Rubella can cause miscarriage or serious birth defects if a pregnant woman getsinfected.

It is very contagious, so when one person gets infected, it's easy for the disease tospread. Rubella outbreaks still occur around the world.

Vaccination is the best way to prevent rubella.

A newborn displays a rash due to rubella. The child also has Congenital RubellaSyndrome, which can cause blindness, deafness and neurologic impairment.Before widespread use of the rubella vaccine, rubella was an epidemic disease.

Courtesy of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and American Academy ofPediatrics

An infant has cataracts in his eyes from Congenital Rubella Syndrome. Rubella isa viral disease that can affect susceptible persons of any age. Although generallya mild rash, if contracted in early pregnancy, there is a high rate of birth defects.

Courtesy of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and American Academy ofPediatrics
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