Flu shot

Millions of people around the world each year become ill with flu. Thousands imparted, but this does not always save them from the traditional seven-day spending time in bed, surrounded by inhalers, instant bulk antipyretics, antibiotics and peppermint lozenges. Do we need a vaccination against influenza? Why inculcated? Why vaccinated people still get hold of the influenza virus on a par with those who saved themselves from this procedure? These questions are obsessed with us as soon as the approaching autumn-winter period.

Why vaccination

Vaccination against influenza is recommended World Health Organization as the only way to protect themselves from the virus and build a strong immune protection for your body. This defense is not one hundred percent. Vaccination does not prevent the flu entirely, but reduces the risk of contracting an infection.

Incidence of influenza in the vaccinated individuals are not uncommon, and they are sometimes a problem due to mismatch vaccine virus.

There are several varieties of influenza virus, and they fit into a simple classification of the types: A, B and C. Type A virus is most dangerous, distressing and covering us this pandemic or severe epidemic. Type B virus infects more local areas on the degree of their characteristics is more lenient. Influenza type C is not well understood, we know that he is the least dangerous, does not lead to serious consequences.

The influenza virus contains the surface antigens that define the different strains of the same type of virus. Every year, these strains are changing, that is, to us comes to the mutated virus, which is needed vaccine, developed specifically for him. When developing a vaccine remains the hope of correct forecasts regarding the WHO strain, which will contain a new virus sample. Make it as difficult as accurately as possible - the mechanism of change in strains is not clear completely. If influenza vaccine does not contain material against the new strain, despite the common features of all types of virus, its effectiveness is reduced by 2-3 times.

What is the vaccine

Any flu vaccine contains viruses that get into the body, stimulating it to an active struggle, producing antibodies. Otchilie significant vaccine this flu virus that we often teach inactivated virus (not the content of live virus) or live, but in small doses. The latter, being more effective, can provoke a greater number of complications.

2 weeks after vaccination in the body have already accumulated protective proteins, which, at a meeting with this virus, come from outside, recognize it and destroy.

Who needs vaccination

Despite the fact that the flu are sick all, there is a group of people most in need of vaccination against the virus. These include:

- Children who have transient immunity, especially if they attend child care;
- People, often transferring upper respiratory tract;
- Persons suffering from immunodeficiency states;
- Older people (after 50 years).
There are categories of citizens eligible for vaccination because of certain conditions is contraindicated or may cause serious adverse reactions. These are people suffering from chronic diseases of the nervous, urogenital system, blood diseases and endocrine system, heart failure, bronchial asthma, as well as pregnant women and persons with an allergy to chicken protein.

Vaccination against influenza, introducing viruses into the body, can cause adverse reactions, even in healthy people not suffering from the above contraindications.

The most common reaction to the vaccine - redness at the injection of a Dream, which takes place within 1-2 days. More serious are chills and fever after 6-12 hours after vaccination. A couple of days of them not a trace left.

Do or not do the flu shot - a rhetorical question, and unambiguous answer to it there. Thoughtlessly resist vaccination not worth it, but consider it a panacea - too. Better, after weighing the pros and cons, and make an informed decision.