The Immune Response Essay

The immune response is a system that recognises and responds to infection and diseases. The history of our understanding of the immune system and the development of vaccination begins when Buddhist monks discovered that drinking snake venom could give them an immunity to a snakebite. Before we understood the immune systems and even the concept of vaccines such as during the bubonic plague and the idea of spontaneous generation. Doctors were using methods of cure such as hanging fragrant herbs to purify the air, partially drain blood or to tie a live chicken to the infected person. We began to understand more about the body and its immune system when Edward Jenner the founder of vaccinology when in 1796 he inoculated a boy with the cowpox

vaccine which gave the boy an immunity to smallpox. Louis Pasteur’s was next in 1897 and 1904 he developed multiple vaccine including anthrax and the Plague. The discoverer of the immune system was Elie Metchnikoff who discovered the cell-based immune system.
These vaccines work by injecting a weakened or dead pathogen in to the body where B cells which develop in the bone marrow and T cells which form in bone marrow and develop in the thymus gland. When the T and B cells are activated by antigens they clone themselves. The active cells make memory cells which recognise the antigen after the T and B cells destroy the antigen. These memory cells remain in the lymph nodes to create an immunity. When the same antigen enters the body the antigens in recognised and is destroyed rapidly.

Many once common diseases and the deadly effects would still be an epidemic if it were not for the vaccination. Examples of these diseases include: Smallpox, Diphtheria and polio.
Smallpox- The effects of small pox include Fever, headaches, muscular aches and pain, Red rash on face and body, feeling unwell, small blisters or pustules which dry and scab leaving scars and death if it reaches the circulatory system, bone marrow or respiratory system. The Smallpox vaccine was effective because it was able to prevent a person from contracting the disease and were able to stop spreading. The World Health Organisation (WHO) vaccine program was extremely effective because they were able to eradicate the disease preventing it from posing a threat to humans.
Diphtheria- The common effects of diphtheria include runny nose, Severe sore throat, fever, swollen lymph nodes in throat, A furry grey/black coating on the membranes in the throat, breathing problems and swallowing problems.

The vaccine is effective because it was able to reduce the cases and deaths significantly. The vaccine programs have almost been able to eradicate the disease in Australia because of its high vaccine rate.
Polio- The mild effects of polio include fever, tiredness, headaches, nausea and vomiting, muscle stiffness. More serious cases can have effects such as paralysis, severe muscle pain, stiff neck and back, swallowing and breathing problems, long-term disability from paralysis and death if the diaphragm becomes paralysed. The vaccine was effective because of the decrease polio numbers after the vaccine was developed all the it not 100% effective as only 99 out of 100 people who receive the vaccine are immune.
Vaccines are an important part of medical science although are very costly to produce they can also be sold for profit. These costs are important to keep research into vaccines active. Vaccines are also very important in keeping humans healthy and free from once common diseases they have become import part of human history as we are now able to defend against diseases that could of previous become an epidemic and destroyed most of

humanity.
Vaccinations has become an important part of raising a child. Without vaccinations you are exposing your children to some very dangerous diseases that a child who received a vaccination may never have. Such as the flu, meningococcal or HPV. These vaccines are safe and effective, and some parents believe receiving a vaccination will give you the disease it is designed to prevent. Vaccines use a weakened or dead antigen and you can not catch the disease its preventing.
Vaccines can prevent infections and disease and has a very positive effect on society as they are able to prevent diseases from causing dangerous symptoms. The vaccines also have the power to eradicate many once common diseases such as smallpox.