Vaccinations – types, compulsory vaccinations, post-vaccination adverse reactions [EXPLAINED]

Proven content

Vaccinations against selected diseases are performed in Poland free of charge and commonly. What are compulsory vaccinations in Poland? What are the characteristics of compulsory childhood vaccinations?

Types of vaccines

There are two main types of vaccines: alive and killed. The former contain whole, devoid of virulence. They cause greater resistance, but in relation to the killed ones they are more reactive. Killed vaccines contain inactivated (killed) microorganisms or their fragments, e.g. single proteins. When talking about vaccines, there are also:

1. single-component vaccines – (monovalent) immunize against one infectious disease. They may contain one type of micro-organism or antigens from a single micro-organism,
2. multi-component vaccines – (polyvalent) vaccines contain several types of the same microorganism (e.g. poliomyelitis vaccine) or antigens from several types of microorganism (e.g. pneumococcal vaccine),
3. combination vaccines – this type of vaccines immunizes the body against several infectious diseases at the same time. They contain several microorganisms or antigens from several microorganisms, e.g. DTP vaccine,
4. highly combined vaccines – this is, for example, the DTaP + IPV + Hib pentivalent (5 in 1) vaccine, which immunizes against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, poliomyelitis, Haemophilus influenzae type b.

Want to know more about the protection that vaccines make: Better protection against infectious diseases than vaccines, they haven’t come up with

Vaccines given to a child contain weakened or dead viruses or bacteria responsible for causing the symptoms of a specific disease. Thanks to this, the child’s body mobilizes to produce the appropriate antibodiesthat attack and weaken the action of bacteria or viruses. As a result, a natural system of protection against disease is created. It usually takes two doses of the vaccine to develop full immunity against the disease.

Vaccinating children is also important from the perspective of protecting the health of people who, for whatever reason, cannot be vaccinated. Mass vaccination of all members of society leads to a radical reduction in the amount of microorganisms circulating in a given society that cause selected diseases. As a result, the chances of contracting the disease are extremely low, even for people who have not received the vaccine.

See also what are the contraindications for vaccinating children: When not to vaccinate a child?

Vaccination schedule according to the Protective Vaccination Program – compulsory vaccinations in Poland

Compulsory vaccinations (free)

After birth – hepatitis B, tuberculosis,

2 miesiąc – 3 in 1 (DTPw) Hib, hepatitis B, pneumococcal (vaccination against invasive streptococcus pneumoniae infections in the general population is obligatory for children born after December 31.12.2016, XNUMX),

4 miesiąc – 3 w 1 (DTPw), Hib, polio (IPV), penumokoki,

5 – 6 months – 3 w 1 (DTPw), Hib, polio (IPV),

7 miesiąc – hepatitis B,

13 – 15 months – measles + mumps + rubella, pneumococcus,

16 – 18 months – 3 w 1 (DTPw), Hib, polio (IPV).

An alternative vaccination schedule until the age of 3 with the use of the recommended paid vaccines

5-in-5 vaccination program (DPTa + IPV + Hib)

After birth – hepatitis B, tuberculosis

2 miesiąc – 5 in 1, hepatitis B, pneumococci,

4 miesiąc – 5 in 1, pneumococcus,

5 – 6 months – 5 in 1,

7 miesiąc – hepatitis B,

13 – 15 months – measles + mumps + rubella, pneumococci,

16 – 18 months – 5 in 1.

Program for 6 (DTPa + IPV + Hib + hepatitis B)

After birth – hepatitis B, tuberculosis

2 miesiąc – 6 in 1, hepatitis B, pneumococci,

4 miesiąc – 6 in 1, pneumococcus,

5 – 6 months – 6 in 1,

13 – 15 months – measles + mumps + rubella, pneumococci,

16 – 18 months – 6 in 1.

Recommended (paid) vaccinations – they can be performed regardless of the form of vaccination you have chosen:

2 miesiąc – rotaviruses, meningococci,

4 miesiąc – rotaviruses, meningogoki,

5 – 6 months -Rotaviruses, meningogoki,

7 miesiąc — meningogoki,

13 – 15 months – chicken pox, meningococci,

16 – 18 months – chicken pox, meningogoki,

24 miesiące – hepatitis A, meningogoki,

2 years – hepatitis A.

What do the different vaccinations mean?

Hepatitis B – hepatitis B vaccine – the vaccine is designed to protect against hepatitis Bwhich is considered to be one of the most serious infectious diseases that can affect humans. It is caused by HBV (Hepatitis B Virus), which can cause acute or chronic infections. Infection occurs through contact with infected blood, sexual contact with the infected, through non-sterile sharp medical equipment (needles and surgical instruments) contaminated with the blood of an infected person through sharing equipment while using drugs. In addition, a child can be infected during childbirth from an infected mother.

The symptoms of hepatitis B are not specific, they mainly include lack of appetite, malaise, yellowing of the skin, general malaise, dark urine and digestive system ailments. The first symptoms may appear 3 to 4 months after infection. In the subsequent stages of the disease, cirrhosis of the liver can occur and a chronically infected person is at risk of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Tuberculosis – TB vaccination is performed in the first days of life. Its purpose is to prevent contracting the disease, which is tuberculosis. It is caused by bacteria – tuberculosis bacilli. Infection occurs through the respiratory tract. Children most often become infected from sick adults through contact with a patient shedding tuberculosis bacilli in his saliva. Most often, the disease process involves the lungs, but tuberculosis bacilli can reach all organs and tissues and, under favorable circumstances, cause a disease that develops in 5-10% of infected with mycobacteria.

DTPw – combined vaccination against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough (whole cell component) – Diphtheria, also known as diphtheria, croup or angina, is an acute and severe infectious disease caused by bacteria called coryneform bacteria. The infection occurs through droplets or through direct contact with the sick person or the carrier. Symptoms initially appear at the site of bacterial colonization, i.e. in the throat, on the palatine tonsils, in the larynx, less often in the nose, on the conjunctiva and the mucous membranes of the genitals. In places where they enter the body, bacteria cause tissue necrosis, the so-called pseudo-pseudo-membranes in the form of gray, translucent or black blooms, bleeding when attempted to detach. Diphtheria is a life-threatening disease that can lead to suffocation, cardiac arrest and neurological complications.

Whooping cough is an acute contagious respiratory disease caused by bacteria, the so-called whooping cough sticks. The severity of whooping cough symptoms depends on the patient’s age and immunization status, the most common and dangerous symptoms of whooping cough occur in non-immunized infants and young children, and the least typical, mild in adolescents and adults. The infection occurs by droplets. In the first weeks of the disease, whooping cough symptoms are similar to those of a cold, i.e. dry cough, runny nose, low-grade fever, pharyngitis. This is then followed by the typical and prolonged bouts of bothersome prolonged coughing, often ending in loud breathing (known as foaming), vomiting, or apnea.

Tetanus is a disease nervous system, caused by the action of a tetanus toxin (neurotoxin) produced by tetanus bacilli. Bacteria are common in soil, dust, water and the digestive tract of animals. The gates of infection may be bodily injuries associated with tissue discontinuity, including small, almost invisible cuts.

Infection can also be caused by childbirth or miscarriage if hygiene is not followed. Symptoms range from 3 days to 3 weeks, the average duration is 8 days. It is primarily a feeling of breakdown, insomnia, headaches, nervousness, sweating, redness of the face and muscle spasms leading to trismus, paralysis of facial muscles and blood pressure disorders. Complications include pneumonia, intramuscular hematomas, vertebral fractures, myocarditis, and eventually death, occurring in 30-50 out of 100 patients.

Hib – vaccination against Haemophilus influenzae typu b-these bacteria cause serious illness in children under 5 years of age. Children living in large agglomerations suffer mainly from the disease. The infection occurs through direct contact with a sick person or carrier. Symptoms of Hib infection usually take the form of meningitis, epiglottitis, sepsis, pneumonia, osteomyelitis, arthritis, phlegmon of the subcutaneous tissue.

Polio – vaccination against poliomyelitis (pediatric palsy or Heine-Medin disease) is an acute infectious disease caused by polioviruses. There are 3 types of polioviruses, which differ slightly in infectivity and severity of symptoms. Is is a disease of “dirty hands” – infections spread mainly through direct contact with an infected person, contact with contaminated objects, eating contaminated food, as a result of non-compliance with hygiene rules. It is also possible to spread the infection by airborne droplets. Symptoms appear approximately 7 to 14 days after infection. The main symptoms are: headaches, a feeling of general discomfort, gastroenteritis, feeling of stiff neck and back, increased temperature.

Pneumococcal – vaccination against pneumococcal infections. These bacteria cause respiratory diseases, sinusitis, bronchitis, pharyngitis. Most often, pneumococci cause otitis media, which can lead to deafness in children. If the bacteria enter the bloodstream, it can lead to pneumonia, sepsis and meningitis.

Measles + mumps + rubella – the 3 in 1 vaccine immunizes against these three diseases. Measles is an acute, viral, infectious disease that can affect people of all ages who are not vaccinated. It becomes infected by droplets or by direct contact with the discharge from the nasopharyngeal cavity of the sick person. The incubation period is 10-12 days. 2-4 days before the appearance of the characteristic rash, there is fever, malaise, conjunctivitis, runny nose, cough. With the development of the disease, the temperature rises to 39-41 ° C. White eruptions appear in the mouth surrounded by a red line (Koplik spots) followed by the red rash gradually merges into patches and covers the entire head and body.

Mumps – common parotitis- it is an infectious viral disease. The infection occurs through the droplet route or direct contact with the secretion from the throat of a sick person. Symptoms usually appear 17-18 days after infection. First, there is fever and malaise as well swelling and soreness in one or both of the parotid glands. The swelling may result in loss of appetite, difficulty swallowing, and a feeling of dry mouth.

Rubella – it is an infectious viral disease that is infected by airborne droplets. Children go through the disease relatively mildly, but adults are much worse. Symptoms appear 14 – 21 days after infection. There is a reddening of the throat, cough, runny nose, increased temperature and a rash lasting up to 3 days. It is observed strong enlargement of the lymph nodes behind the ears and on the back of the head.

Rotaviruses – (vaccination recommended) a vaccine against rotaviruses, bacteria that cause acute infectious diarrhea in children. Infection occurs through direct contact (mainly dirty hands), contaminated objects and the drip pathway. The main symptoms of rotavirus infection are: vomiting, diarrhea (watery, yellow-green stools, usually without blood or mucus) fever above 40 degrees C, lack of appetite, weakness, apathy.

Meningogoki – (vaccination recommended) is the common name for bacteria, meningitis. These bacteria do invasive meningococcal disease (IChM) most often in the form of sepsis or sepsis with meningitis. The highest incidence of the disease is in the first year of life, but cases of the disease are also observed in older age groups. There are 1 meningococcal serogroups, but as many as 12% of all infections in the world are caused by A, B, C, Y and 95 serotypes. In Poland, infections are mainly caused by meningococcus type B (135 – 50%). Infection occurs through the droplet pathway and direct contact, through:

1. drinking from one bottle,
2. sharing cutlery,
3. licking the pacifier,
4. deep kiss
5. coughing and sneezing.

The initial symptoms of invasive meningococcal disease resemble a cold and the flu and are therefore difficult to diagnose. Moreover, its course can be violent and can be fatal within 24 hours.

Chickenpox – (vaccination recommended) is an infectious disease caused by the varicella zoster virus. The infection occurs through direct contact with a sick person or through droplets. The main symptoms of the disease are: itchy, maculo-vesicular rash on the trunk, face, scalp, limbs, mucous membranes, fever, malaise, headache and muscle pain, swollen lymph nodes. After getting chickenpox, the virus remains in the body in a latent form. In the event of a decrease in immunity, shingles develops.

Also read, Very important vaccination for young women – HPV vaccination

Other compulsory vaccinations

For some people, the immunization schedule may be different. Children up to 12 years of age should be vaccinated against chickenpox if they fall into one of the following categories:

1. people with serious diseases of the immune system,
2. HIV-infected people,
3. getting ready for immunosuppressive treatment or chemotherapy,
4. people with lymphoblastic leukemia in remission,
5. staying in nursing and care institutions, social or intervention institutions.

See why it is important to vaccinate against ticks: Vaccination against ticks

Adverse post-vaccination reactions

Post-vaccination adverse reaction (NOP) is an undesirable disease symptom that is temporarily related to the protective vaccination. Due to the severity of NOP symptoms, the following were distinguished:

1. severe post-vaccination reaction – this is life-threatening and requires hospitalization to save life, may lead to permanent damage to health or result in death,
2. serious post-vaccination reaction – it is characterized by a high intensity of symptoms, but does not require hospitalization to save life, does not lead to permanent damage to health and is not life-threatening,
3. mild post-vaccination reaction – is not particularly severe, and is characterized by local limb edema, strong local redness, fever.

The doctor is obliged to report the suspicion / diagnosis of NOP to the state poviat sanitary inspector competent for the place where the reaction occurs.

See also what reactions can be after the vaccination: Vaccination response

The content of the medTvoiLokony website is intended to improve, not replace, the contact between the Website User and their doctor. The website is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Before following the specialist knowledge, in particular medical advice, contained on our Website, you must consult a doctor. The Administrator does not bear any consequences resulting from the use of information contained on the Website. Do you need a medical consultation or an e-prescription? Go to halodoctor.pl, where you will get online help – quickly, safely and without leaving your home.