Vaccination from diphtheria is a reliable guarantee of safety against a fatal infection

Diphtheria is caused by a causative agent, which wears the Latin name Corynebakterium diphtheriae or diphtheria bacillus. Against him, and vaccinated against diphtheria. The disease itself is dangerous because it causes the strongest intoxication of the whole organism, which quickly leads to loss of strength and death of the sick person. But even earlier, choking caused by the development of the so-called "diphtheria croup" may occur, when the films formed in the throat and the accompanying toxic edema completely block the access of air to the lungs and the person simply suffocates. A specific feature of the pathogen is that it can be on the skin and mucous nasopharynx of a non-sick person, who in this case acts as a carrier. When coughing or sneezing, the rod can be transmitted by airborne droplets to nearby people and already cause the development of the disease. Before the diphtheria vaccine was developed, this infection was very common and almost 80% of the patients died. The majority of those suffering from this disease were young children, but the deadly disease did not spare adults. After the diphtheria vaccine was injected mass -ively, the incidence of diphtheria, and even more so the toxic diphtheria croup, virtually disappeared.

In the last decade of the last century (around the beginning of the 1990s), a wave of panic rumors swept through the country that vaccination against diphtheria often causes complications in the form of fatal disease . As a result, many parents began to refuse the vaccination and by the end of the 1990s this had produced "bitter fruits". In Russia, a record surge of the diphtheria was recorded. And only emergency measures to vaccinate all unvaccinated earlier adults and children have restored the depleted immune stratum of the population and stopped the outbreak of the disease. It was a sad experience, showing on this example the need for vaccinations as a phenomenon in general.

At present, the vaccination against diphtheria is included in the national vaccination calendar and the first vaccination is carried out starting from 3 months. Then again at 4.5 months and 6 months. In the future, only revaccination at 7 and 14 years is carried out. Given that diphtheria, alas, is not one deadly disease, it is usually vaccinated with a combined vaccine. For example, vaccination against diphtheria and tetanus, where often add anti-pertussis component. As a result, the AKDC vaccine (mixture of components containing diphtheria, pertussis and diphtheria toxoid) is obtained. The word "toxoid" means that they are strongly weakened and are not capable of causing the disease, but antibodies are produced and immunity to diseases is formed. Here it is important to understand that in some cases the disease is still possible, but in mild form with the exception of mortality, while 8 people out of 10 sick die without vaccination (see the percentage given above). In addition, immunity is not life-long, so there is also an inoculation from diphtheria for adults, usually no longer including an anti-catabolic component (ADS or ADS-M) which should be revaccinated every 10 years.

The process of vaccination itself has its own specific features, which must be known, first of all, to the parents of children who are being vaccinated against diphtheria. The first 2-3 days are possible pain and local inflammatory reactions at the site of the vaccination, which is usually introduced into the antero-lateral part of the thigh. This can be accompanied by an increase in temperature to 38-39 degrees. In this case, it is necessary to give antipyretic and refer to a doctor - you may need the appointment of desensitizing (antiallergic) funds. This should not be an excuse for refusing vaccination, because possible temporary discomfort is a small payment compared to the acquisition of reliable protection against deadly infections.