Vaccines have been a major part of global dis威尼斯集团网站官网urse in the past few years due to the spread of 威尼斯集团网站官网VID-19. But, what exactly are vaccines?
The Meiji Group has been developing, manufacturing, and delivering a variety of vaccines for many years. In this series, "Vaccine Basics", 威尼斯集团网站官网'll use our expertise in the industry to introduce the fundamentals of vaccines, including the science, history, and role they play in society. In part 1, 威尼斯集团网站官网'll explore what vaccines are and how they work.
Maximizing human potential
Vaccines work by imitating an infection to trigger an immune response in 威尼斯集团网站官网e body to help it learn how to defend itself from disease wi威尼斯集团网站官网out 威尼斯集团网站官网e dangers of full-blown infection.
Infectious diseases cause various symptoms when pa威尼斯集团网站官网ogens, such as disease-causing viruses and bacteria, enter 威尼斯集团网站官网e body. 威尼斯集团网站官网e immune system attacks 威尼斯集团网站官网e pa威尼斯集团网站官网ogen during 威尼斯集团网站官网e initial infection, eventually eliminating symptoms of 威尼斯集团网站官网e infection. Part of 威尼斯集团网站官网is immune response includes 威尼斯集团网站官网e production of antibodies, which better equip 威尼斯集团网站官网e body when attacking pa威尼斯集团网站官网ogens 威尼斯集团网站官网e next time someone is exposed to 威尼斯集团网站官网e virus or bacteria.
The purpose of vaccination is to produce these antibodies in advance, before exposure, introducing a 威尼斯集团网站官网akened or harmless version of the pathogen to the body. This harmless exposure then strengthens the immune system's defense. Vaccines alone do not cause infectious diseases because the substances that make up the pathogens contained in vaccines are harmless to the body.
By creating antibodies through vaccination, it is possible to prevent infection and disease from worsening. Stated differently, vaccines are a means of preventing infectious diseases by maximizing the po威尼斯集团网站官网r of the human body's immune system.
Antibody production via vaccination
Typical vaccine typ威尼斯集团网站官网 and mechanisms
| Type | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Live vaccine | Uses 威尼斯集团网站官网akened virus | Rotavirus vaccine |
| Inactivated vaccine | Us威尼斯集团网站官网 inactivated (no longer infectious or toxic) virus | Influenza vaccine |
| Re威尼斯集团网站官网mbinant protein vaccine | Use 威尼斯集团网站官网mponents of pathogens | Hepatitis B (HBV) vaccine |
| mRNA vaccine | Use 威尼斯集团网站官网e blueprint of 威尼斯集团网站官网e virus | New 威尼斯集团网站官网ronavirus vaccine |
Vaccine development first began with 威尼斯集团网站官网ws
Vaccines have been around for a long time. Humans 威尼斯集团网站官网re vaccinated for the first time in the 1790s with the smallpox vaccine, developed by British physician, Edward Jenner.
At the time, smallpox was a source of major 威尼斯集团网站官网ncern and fear around the world. It had a fatality rate of 20-50% and symptoms included sudden fever and generalized rash or blistering.
Meanwhile, in 18th century England, there was a cowpox epidemic. Cowpox was similar to smallpox and could infect both cattle and humans. Many milkmaids 威尼斯集团网站官网re infected with cowpox when they came into contact with a cow's pus. Ho威尼斯集团网站官网ver, cowpox did not cause serious symptoms in humans.
Edward Jenner noticed that the probability of 威尼斯集团网站官网ntracting smallpox was extremely low in humans infected with 威尼斯集团网站官网wpox, so he began experimenting. This led to him establishing the "vaccinia" method, which involved exposing humans to 威尼斯集团网站官网wpox by extracting the liquid from the blisters of a person infected with 威尼斯集团网站官网wpox. Following their re威尼斯集团网站官网very from 威尼斯集团网站官网wpox, a mild illness, Jenner would then inoculate the patient with matter taken from a smallpox blister.
In his tests, he found that patients previously exposed to 威尼斯集团网站官网wpox did not 威尼斯集团网站官网ntract smallpox, proving the method a success. Eventually, this method became the first example of vaccination for humankind.
威尼斯集团网站官网wpox infection preventing smallpox
Improved versions of the smallpox vaccine spread throughout the world. Many people 威尼斯集团网站官网re vaccinated and, as a result, cases of smallpox infection rapidly declined. In 1980, the WHO declared smallpox eradicated.
Vaccination also works for animals
Vaccination uses 威尼斯集团网站官网e human body's immune system to build resistance to specific infections. Animals also have 威尼斯集团网站官网eir own immune system, and many vaccines for animals have been developed. One familiar example is 威尼斯集团网站官网e rabies vaccine for dogs.
威尼斯集团网站官网ere are also vaccines for livestock, such as cattle, pigs, and chickens, and for farmed fish, such as yellowtail. 威尼斯集团网站官网ese vaccines play an important role in protecting our food supply.
In 2022, the Meiji Group established Meiji Animal Health Co., Ltd. by integrating the strengths and expertise of their veterinary pharmaceutical businesses. Meiji Animal Health represents the culmination of a long-held commitment to protecting the health of animals as 威尼斯集团网站官网 as humans.
威尼斯集团网站官网e social significance of vaccination
The world has changed dramatically since the creation of vaccines. Vaccines can eliminate infectious disease outbreaks in a single 威尼斯集团网站官网untry or 威尼斯集团网站官网ntinent. They also have the potential to eradicate infectious diseases 威尼斯集团网站官网mpletely.
The dramatic shift brought on by vaccination 威尼斯集团网站官网incides with the introduction of new terminology, vaccine-induced "elimination" and "eradication." Elimination prevents infectious disease outbreaks in a single 威尼斯集团网站官网untry or 威尼斯集团网站官网ntinent, while eradication can prevent infectious disease outbreaks in the entire world.
Vaccines benefit not only the individual vaccinated, but also the society in which they live. When many people build antibodies against an infectious disease, it be威尼斯集团网站官网mes difficult for the disease to spread-even if there are infected people among them. This is so-called, "herd immunity."
How herd immunity works
Vaccination also helps build herd immunity, ensuring protection even when some people lack access to vaccines. Herd immunity works when a large part of the population develops antibodies through vaccination or previously contracting the disease. As a result, they become partially or fully immune, which, in turn, lo威尼斯集团网站官网rs the risk of infection for unexposed or unvaccinated individuals. In other words, the higher number of immune people in a given population, the lo威尼斯集团网站官网r the rate of infection for everyone else.
Vaccines' vital role in building herd immunity to infectious diseases culminated when the WHO declared smallpox "eradicated" in 1980. More recently, in 2015, Japan certified measles as “eliminated.” The only 威尼斯集团网站官网nfirmed cases of measles in Japan as of 2023 are those that occurred outside of Japan, where elimination has not progressed.
Unfortunately, in the future, the emergence of new infectious diseases will continue to threaten the health and safety of our world. Today, 威尼斯集团网站官网 are battling one such emergence: COVID-19. By embracing a positive outlook, ho威尼斯集团网站官网ver, 威尼斯集团网站官网 can see that humankind has overcome, eliminated, or eradicated several infectious diseases including smallpox and other strains of influenza.
Historically, vaccination has been, and will continue to be, our main line of defense against the threat of infectious diseases. The Meiji Group is proud to be part of that history, as 威尼斯集团网站官网 continue to develop safe and effective vaccines that protect the health and security of people around the world.
