Immunizations Health Channel

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Feature Article Illustrations for this article Click on an image below to enlarge Hepatitis A immunization (vaccine) Immunizations Immunizations - general overview Definition Immunization (vaccination) is a way to trigger your immune system and prevent serious, life-threatening diseases. Alternative Names Vaccinations Information Our bodies are designed to protect us from diseases. When you are exposed to an illness, your immune system actually learns from the experience. The next time your body is exposed to the same illness, your immune system often recognizes the culprit and sets out to destroy it. Immunization exposes you to a very small, very safe amount of the most important diseases you are likely to encounter at some point in your life. This mild exposure helps your immune system recognize and attack the disease efficiently. If you are exposed to the full-blown disease later in life, you will either not become infected or have a much less serious infection. This is a natural way to deal with infectious diseases. Throughout human history, infectious diseases have caused measureless misery and death. This rampage was unchecked until the twentieth century, when immunization was introduced on a wide scale. This led to the global eradication of smallpox, the elimination of polio from the Americas, and has almost eliminated tetanus, diphtheria, mumps, and the horrible congenital rubella syndrome. Immunization has greatly reduced the occurrence of measles, pertussis, and meningitis. Millions of deaths and other tragedies have been prevented.