Vaccines that adults need

With the ever changing world, it was not only babies and children who need vaccines; even we adults need them to help our immune system produce certain anti-bodies to combat diseases.

Why is a vaccine important? A person is given a vaccine containing a weakened form of a disease, so when the real disease comes in, the body can easily beat the invader illness for without the immunization you will be prone to get the disease and may succumb to its complications.

According to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the vaccines recommended for adults are:

HPV vaccine or Human Papilloma Virus vaccine

This vaccine can reduce the transmission of viruses that may lead cervical cancer to women and can help prevent genital warts.

Flu or Influenza vaccine

Flu is commonly known as “trangkaso” in Filipinos which is a viral disease. The flu vaccine is recommended to be given yearly for adults especially to those who are 50 years old and above and to younger people with medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and emphysema.

Hepatitis B vaccine  

This is the world’s first vaccine against liver cancer.  Hepatitis B is a virus which can be passed on to others through blood transfusion and sex (bodily fluids).

Pneumococcal vaccine

This vaccine is recommended for people aged 65 and older as Pneumonia, a serious infection of the lungs has been a common cause of death for the elderly.  It is also recommended for younger people who are smokers and having chronic illnesses like asthma, heart disease, diabetes and liver disease.

It is usually given once but can be repeated after five years to other individuals depending on their condition.

Herpes zoster (shingles) vaccine

Shingles is also a viral disease that causes painful skin blisters which appear in certain parts of the body. Acute cases lead to facial paralysis, long-term nerve pain or eye complications.

Tetanus vaccine

Tetanus is a bacterial infection and is a fatal disease that paralyzes the muscles that leads to lock jaw and death.

It is one of the most important vaccines that adults need.  Open wounds gets easily contaminated with the tetanus bacteria.

A complete childhood immunization is really an advantage.  If in case you or your children missed a shot, it is best recommended to see and consult with your doctor to know what catch- up or booster vaccines you and your children may need.