Why Immunize?
Disease | What It Does | Why Immunize? |
---|---|---|
Polio | Virus that causes acute paralysis and death. | Prior to immunization, there were 13-20,000 cases annually; in 2000 there were none in US, but still active in > 12 countries worldwide. |
Measles | Viral syndrome that can cause complications (including encephalitis with brain damage) in almost 10% of those infected. |
Cases are now very rare in the U.S. but still occur worldwide. If vaccination was suspended 2. 7 million deaths would be expected worldwide. |
Haemophilus lnfluenzae Type b (HIB) | Prior to immunization, the leading cause of bacterial meningitis, and epiglottitis. | Prior to HIB vaccines, 600 pediatric deaths per year. Recent outbreak with deaths in Midwest, & occurs worldwide. |
Pertussis | Also known as Whooping Cough, this illness can lead to pneumonia, seizures and death particularly in young infants under age one year. |
Currently a resurgence; prior to immunization, 250,000 cases per year, 9000 deaths. 9 recent deaths in CA in unimmunized infants. |
Rubella (German measles) | Mild viral disease in children, but in pregnant women, leads to heart defects, mental retardation, deafness. |
Before vaccination there were 20,000 babies born annually with birth defects. |
Varicella (Chicken Pox) | Highly contagious viral illness. Can lead to complications such as pneumonia, bacterial skin infections, dehydration as well as significant school/ work absence. |
Prior to immunization there were 11,000 hospitalizations and 100 deaths annually in the U.S. secondary to bacterial complications. |
Hepatitis B | Liver infection with risk of liver failure or cancer. | Up to 25% of children who are infected may die from the infection. |
Diphtheria | Severe throat infection which produces a toxin that causes heart and nerve problems. | Death rate after infection was 20% of cases prior to immunization. Not seen in U.S., still occurs worldwide. |
Tetanus | Severe, often fatal disease leading to spasm and stiffness of the jaw and muscles. | 30% of infections cause death. Worldwide there are still >100,000 deaths from lack of immunization. |
Mumps | Viral infection in the salivary glands; can cause deafness, swelling of the brain, nerves and spinal cord, and sterility in males. |
Before immunization there were 200,000 cases annually, now reduced to about 300. |
Pneumococcus | Leading cause of blood infection, bacterial meningitis, pneumonia and ear infections. | Prior to vaccine, 6,100 annual deaths in US. |
Rotavirus | Vomiting and watery diarrhea, often lasting 3-8 days or longer; may require hospitalization for dehydration. |
Globally, still 527,000 deaths per year. Prior to vaccine, 20-60 deaths in US per year; >600,000 visits per year. |