John M. Adamovich
Students must have a deeper understanding of the immune system prior to venturing into thoughts of having to vaccinate or not. Our immune system is a complex machine, which is constantly fighting every second of every day to keep us at a state of homeostasis. Our body has many complex systems. The cardiovascular system works together with the lymphatic system to kill off any pathogen, a microorganism that may cause disease, allowing us to live a healthy balanced lifestyle.
Blood
The cardiovascular system is responsible for blood transport throughout the body. One may ask the question why do we need blood? A student's typical answer is to say, "to stay alive." This is a general response and in fact is more complex in nature. Blood has several jobs throughout the body. "Blood carries oxygen to body cells, delivers nutrients to body cells, carries carbon dioxide to the lungs to be exhaled, delivers waste product to the kidneys, and helps white blood cells fight diseases." (Bronson M., 2011).
Blood is made up of plasma, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Plasma is a fluid made up of mainly water but also consists of nutrients, proteins, salts and hormones. Plasma, however, is only 55% of the make up of blood. Another 40% is found in the red blood cells, better known as "hemoglobin." Hemoglobin is a iron rich protein which is able to bind to oxygen to carry it throughout the body. It is also able to bind to carbon dioxide, which helps in the ability to bring this waste gas back to the lungs to be exhaled and eliminate. The other 5% of blood is the combination of white blood cells and platelets. White blood cells surround and ingest the organisms that cause disease. This allows white blood cells to form antibodies and react quicker in a second attack. Platelets on the other hand allow the blood to clot. Allowing our bodies not to continuously bleed when cut.
Cardiovascular system
The main component of the cardiovascular system are the heart, arteries, veins, and capillaries. The heart works as a pump to allow blood to circulate into the heart and out of the heart. The heart works together with the lungs to bring deoxygenated blood to the lungs to become oxygenated. The deoxygenated blood travels throughout pulmonary
arteries
, which are blood vessels that send blood away from the heart. Pulmonary
veins,
allow the now oxygenated blood to flow back towards the heart, and then be pumped to the rest of the body. (Bronson M., 2011).
The Heart
The heart is broken down into multiple parts working together as one to deliver oxygenated blood throughout the body. The heart receives blood via the inferior and superior vena cava. These veins are both connected to the right atrium and are the first stop for deoxygenated blood. The blood is then pumped into the right ventricle where it is then sent via pulmonary arteries to the lungs to bind with oxygen. Once the blood binds with the oxygen it is now oxygenated and is ready to be sent back to the heart by the pulmonary veins. These pulmonary veins are connected to the left atrium, which is responsible for receiving oxygen rich blood (hemoglobin) from these veins. The blood is then pumped into the left ventricle. Blood is then pumped into the aorta. The aorta is responsible for distributing all of the blood throughout our body via a network of capillaries that pervade the entire body. Without this complex connection of vessels, arteries, veins, and capillaries we would not be able to function at a normal rate of homeostasis.
The Lymphatic System
The lymphatic system is very different from the cardiovascular system and works together with it to protect our bodies from infections and illnesses. It is different in the sense that there is no central "pumping station" like the heart. This system is under positive pressure and a certain portion of blood is thus leaked into a complex network of vessels and tissues that move and filter this blood into what is called, "Lymph," a clear fluid devoid of red blood cells that fills pervades the entire body. Lymph is similar to plasma and is found all throughout the body. Along with the many properties in lymph (water and proteins) it also contains fat and white blood cells called, lymphocytes. These lymphocytes help to fight off pathogens. "A pathogen is identified as any microorganism that may cause disease." (Bronson M., 2011).
B cells and T cells are the two types of lymphocytes circulating in the body. After coming into contact with a pathogen B-cells multiply. These B-cells produce antibodies that fight the foreign pathogen and inform other cells in the immune system of the illness so that a subsequent response is quicker and vigourous. In that sense, the immune system develops a memory of an invading pathogen. T cells act in a similar manner to B cells. Unlike B cells, T cells do not produce antibodies, but rely on B cells for information regarding the nature of the invading pathogen. There are two types of T cells, killer T cells and helper T cells. The killer T cells enlarge and kill off the infection preventing it from spreading while the helper T cells job is to help activate B cells and killer T cells. In this way, there is a reciprocating and cooperative function between the various cells of the immune system. It is in a sense a conversation regarding the nature of the invading pathogen and how the body should respond to it. "Lymph is filtered by lymph nodes, small bean-shaped organs found in lymph vessels." (Bronson M., 2011). The white blood cells in these lymph nodes trap and destroy pathogens.
The lymphatic system works with the circulatory system to circulate information throughout the body while also allowing the body to communicate between systems. The immune system must work cooperatively to maintain homeostasis and create a quicker response to an illness and therefore minimize the severity of a future reaction.
Vaccines
Vaccines are a dead version of the pathogen you are looking to defend against. These communicable diseases can leave you severely ill or even dead. The vaccine works in two ways; it introduces your immune system to the dead pathogens and allows your body to build up a defense system boosting the immune response when a person is presented with the diseases.
Most vaccines contain either a small version of the disease that is very weakened or a dead version of it. Vaccines do not contain the germ that makes you sick, but it allows the immune system to recognize the pathogen ahead of time and build up antibodies against the diseases being presented to the body. Most vaccines are delivered by injections, but some recently have been delivered via nasal spray or orally (by mouth).
Your body can create antibodies in two ways: by getting the disease, or by receiving the vaccine for the disease. Getting the vaccine is a much safer way to building the vaccines than having to suffer the disease itself first hand. Vaccines and antibodies for these diseases can be stored in your body for a long time, however, diseases can change and morph into different versions of the disease. In these cases the individual may need to have a "booster shot." A booster shot sends the same vaccine back into the body to regenerate and increase the antibodies as well as the immune response to the diseases.
History of the first vaccine
In 1791 Small pox raged through Boston leaving 844 people dead. "During this epidemic, physician Zabdiel Boylston, at Cotton Mather urging, variolated 248 people, thereby introducing variolation to the Americans." (HofV.org, 2014) Variolations were first used prior to vaccinations to immunize an individual against smallpox. The fatalities, which came about from these variolations was about 3%, and the disease case was 14% fatal. This led to at least 900 people leaving the town in fear of contracting the disease.
Edward Jenner did the world's first true vaccination in 1796. He did so by extracting pus from a cowpox lesion from a milkmaid's hand and then inoculating an eight-year-old boy, James Phipps. Six weeks later Jenner then injected James with the smallpox disease and was unharmed. James's immune system had built up immunity to the cowpox, which allowed his body to have the pathogen presented to his body, but not feel the side effects to the disease.
In 1901 an outbreak of small pox hit Boston, MA. The illness lingered until 1903. "From 1901 to 1903, there were 1596 cases of smallpox with 270 deaths., in a city with the population of approximately 560,900. The attack rate was 3 cases per 1000 persons, with a case fatality rate of 17 percent." (Albert, Ostheimer, Breman, 2001). At this rate the city of Boston needed to do something to control this epidemic from wiping the cities population out completely.
In 1901 Dr. Samuel Holmes Durgin, chairman on the board of faculty at Harvard Medical Group, served as a front man in the race to stopping this deadly illness. By December 1901 over 400,000 Bostonians were vaccinated. People were even forced to take the vaccinations even though they may not have wanted to become vaccinated. "People who refused vaccinations were subjected to a $5 fine or 15-day jail sentence." (Albert, O., B., 2001). Since majorities of the people with the illness were homeless, the Boston Board of Health mandated it, in November of 1901, to send out "virus squads." These squads would serve to vaccinate any men living in inexpensive houses.
The Pfeiffer Affair
In 1902 Dr. Immanuel Pfeiffer visited the smallpox hospital while also refusing a vaccination to the disease. Pfeiffer felt strongly that healthy non-vaccinated individuals were not at a risk of contracting the disease. He went as far as to pass a bill called the "Pfeiffer Bill." This bill would make the medical staff obtain consent prior to injecting a poisonous substance into the body of any person. (Albert, O., B., 2001).
In an unexpected move, Durgin lifted the strict requirements for recent vaccinations. Even though Pfeiffer fell severely ill short after tests showed it was not in relation to the smallpox disease. The media took it upon themselves to use this to their advantage to promote vaccinations and printed a statement saying, "it is a salutary lesson to the anti-vaccinationists, and it is destined to live in the annals of preventive medicine." (Albert, O., B., 2001).
The Vaccination Controversy
Throughout the last few decades' parents, schools and doctors have expressed strong beliefs that vaccinations are a big step in keeping your child healthy. Are they right? Are vaccinations the real way to keep children safe from pathogens outside the body? As we can see above from past to present people everywhere have opinions as to whether or not one should be routinely vaccinated. Today, students must be vaccinated in order to step foot on school grounds. If a student is not vaccinated he or she are sometimes not allowed to legally have access to an education.
In 2008 a survey was taken and ranked several risk behavior to show parents what type of behaviors were in fact "high risk" behaviors. Parents who send their child to school and then back home are under the assumption that a school is of low risk. Within the survey it was shown that both school and playing sports are labeled as "high risk" behaviors. (Bronfin D., 2008).
All 50 states require vaccinations for children entering into public schools even though no mandatory federal law exists. 48 states (excluding Mississippi and West Virginia) allow religious exemptions and the prevalence of non-medical exemptions have increased in states that make them easily available to parents. Children with a non-medical exemption have been shown to have an increased risk of acquiring and transmitting diseases.
A statement was made in the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics in reference to this legal issue. These doctors are working in areas of legislation, vaccinations, and adolescent health:
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"Federal law does not explicitly require parental consent for vaccinations. However, federal law does require the provision of information about particular vaccines when they are administered. This requirement is based on the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986 (NCVIA), which requires the provision of a vaccine information statement (VIS) whenever any specified vaccine is administered to either a child or an adult. A VIS is a 1-page (2-sided) information sheet produced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). VISs inform vaccine recipients, or their parents or legal representatives, about the benefits and risks of vaccines.8 The CDC's VIS fact-sheet Web page: (www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/vis-facts.htm)." (English, Shaw, McCauley, Fishbein, 2008)
The two charts below show ways a minor may give consent to a vaccine.
Table 1: on the basis of their legal status, Table 2: specific health services.
What if a student chooses not to be vaccinated? Is this possible? In Wisconsin in 2009 a case study was done to show reasons why parents were allowing their children to be exempt from receiving vaccinations. With 166 people surveyed, at least 95 of them stated that, "the vaccines may cause harm." 51 stated, "Vaccines can bring on other disorders, such as autism." (Salmon D., 2009) 22 other individuals also stated that it went against their religious morals and/or ethical values to receive vaccinations. Each state carries different laws upon vaccinating. However, all states in the US must provide a parent and/or child with the information about the diseases and how the vaccine can potentially prevent the illness or disease from becoming contracted.
Many parents hear horror stories of what vaccines can do to an infant's body. Questions such as, "Will it weaken my babies immune system? Will it give my baby another illness? Will this cause growth complications throughout my child's life?" The National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986 mandates a detailed database of all reported adverse events associated with vaccines and also to serves to protect providers who administer immunizations. (Bronfin D., 2008). "Since 2001 there have been over 5,000 cases alleging a relationship between vaccinations and autism." (Vaccines.procon.org, 2014). Aside from a relationship between vaccines and autism, in between 1988 and 2009, the United States Court of Federal Claims Office of Special Masters also awarded compensation to 1,322 families whose children suffered brain damage from vaccines. (Kennedy R., 2009).
In a positive light vaccinations have eradicated sever illness and disease, which in the past had wiped out thousands of individuals. Along with killing off the illnesses it prevents people from getting them before they are even introduced to the illness/disease. "According to researchers at the Pediatric Academic Society, childhood vaccinations in the US prevent about 10.5 million cases of infectious illness and 33,000 deaths per year." (vaccines.procon.org, 2014).