DIPHTHERIA
Diphtheria is a disease caused by a bacteria which can affect people in different ways. It can cause an infection in the nose and throat which can interfere with breathing. Some strains can attack the heart, nerves and kidneys and it can also infect the skin. Death occurs in one out of every ten persons that contacts the disease.
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PERTUSSIS
Pertussis or whooping cough, causes severe coughing spells which can interfere with breathing. Pertussis is known as whooping cough because the major symptom is severe spells of coughs followed by a whoop sound before the next breath. This can last for weeks or months and little can be done once the disease is established. It often causes pneumonia. Convulsions, brain damage and death may occur, most in young infants.
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TETANUS
Tetanus or lockjaw, is a disease that results when wounds are infected with the tetanus bacteria, which often lives in the soil. The bacteria in the wound makes a poison which causes the muscles of the body to go into spasm. The muscle contractions are prolonged and very painful and may cause death by interfering with breathing. Six out of ten people who get tetanus die of it.
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POLIO
Polio is a viral infection that in it's most severe form affects nerve cells in the spinal cord. Polio can cause permanent crippling (paralysis). There used to be thousands of cases and hundreds of deaths from polio every year in North America. Since polio vaccine became available in the mid-1950's, polio has nearly been eliminated.
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DPTP, dTap, Td (Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Polio) Vaccine
Immunization with DPTP, dTap and Td will control these diseases. All these vaccines are combination vaccines so that it is easier to get protection. The vaccine is given by injection starting early in infancy. Several doses are needed for protection.
- Young children should get three doses of DPTP in the first year of life and a fourth dose twelve months later at about 18 months of age.
- A booster dose is important for children between the ages of four and six years.
- A booster of dTap is given to children between the ages of 14-16 years of age.
- Boosters with Td vaccine are recommended for adults every ten years.
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The New Whooping Cough (Pertussis) Vaccine
Ontario’s children will now receive a safer and more effective vaccine to protect them against whooping cough (pertussis).
Pertussis vaccine is given to infants, children and adolescents in combination with vaccines that protect against diphtheria, tetanus, polio and Haemophilus influenza type b (HIB). The new combination vaccines are called Pentacel and Quadracel and Adacel
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Are the new combination vaccines safe?
YES! Serious side effects are rare. Mild pain, swelling and redness for a few days may occur at the injection site. Some children experience a loss of appetite or are fussy or feel tired for a few days after their needle.
An extremely rare side effect, which occurred in about one out of every one million children who received the pertussis vaccine prior to July 1997 (called "whole cell" pertussis vaccine) was encephalopathy. Encephalopathy, (irritation of the brain or covering of the brain), causes a range of symptoms which may include headaches, stiff neck, behavioral changes, confusion or irritability and speech disturbances. Those who experienced these side effects recovered completely in a short period of time with no permanent damage.
The new pertussis vaccine causes even fewer of the minor reactions and chances of brain irritation following this vaccine remain rare. The benefits of the vaccine are much greater than the side effects of the vaccine. There is no risk of a pregnant woman or anyone else catching the disease from a child that has been recently vaccinated.
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Haemophilus Influenza Type b (Hib)
Haemophilus influenzae type b(Hib) causes bacterial meningitis and other serious infections. Meningitis is an infection of the membranes and the fluid that cover the brain and spinal cord. It can also infect the throat, the blood, lungs, joints, bones and skin. Meningitis can cause brain damage, learning and developmental problems, deafness, blindness and even death.
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Hib Vaccine
The Hib vaccine can be administered as a separate injection, but it is most often given as a combination vaccine. The combined diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio and Hib vaccine is given at 2,4 and 6 months of age, with a booster at 18 months of age. Children between the ages of 18 months and 5 years of age who have not received the vaccine may be vaccinated, and only need one dose of Hib vaccine for complete protection.
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MEASLES
Measles is a severe disease caused by a virus. It is the most serious of the common childhood diseases. Usually it causes a rash, high fever, cough, runny nose and watery eyes lasting 1-2 weeks. It can cause ear infections, or pneumonia in nearly one out of ten children who get it. Encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) occurs in about one out of every thousand cases. This often results in convulsions, deafness or serious brain damage. A least one child in every three thousand dies from the disease. Measles is a highly contagious disease particularly among school age children.
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MUMPS
Mumps is a common disease caused by the mumps virus. Mumps can cause fever, headache, and swelling of the salivary glands. Mumps can also cause meningitis, an infection of the fluid and lining that covers the brain and spinal cord. Mumps can also cause encephalitis (an inflammation of the brain) which may lead to permanent brain damage. Other complications of mumps include: deafness, painful swelling of the testicles in adolescent boys and men, and painful infection of the ovaries in women.
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RUBELLA
Rubella (German Measles) is an illness cause by a virus. Usually the disease is very mild and causes a slight fever, rash, and swelling of the glands in the neck. The illness usually lasts three days. In adult women, there may be swelling and aching of the joints for several weeks. Very rarely rubella can cause inflammation of the brain(encephalitis) or cause abnormal bleeding.
The most serious problem caused by rubella occurs if a woman is infected in her first three months of pregnancy. The virus can infect the fetus and cause malformations of the brain, eye, ears, heart and other organs and even death. This is called congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). These children are often severely handicapped.
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(MMR) Measles, Mumps, Rubella Vaccine
Immunization with MMR will control these diseases. A child will receive their first MMR sometime shortly after their first birthday and the second dose sometime between 4-6 years of age. Routine immunization of adults born prior to 1957 is not usually necessary because they are likely to have acquired immunity from natural infection.
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HEPATITIS B
Hepatitis B is an infection of the liver caused by a virus. It is the biggest cause of liver cancer. The liver is necessary to digest food and remove waste from the body. Individuals infected with Hepatitis B may become ill with fever, fatigue, loss of appetite and yellow skin and eyes (jaundice). The illness can last anywhere from a few weeks to months. Severe liver damage caused by infection may be fatal. Most individuals infected with Hepatitis B recover and are immune for life.
The virus is found in all body fluids of people with Hepatitis B, including blood, semen, vaginal secretions and saliva. Anyone who is infected with the virus can pass it on to others, even if the person looks and feels well. The virus passes from person to person through close personal contact, especially sexual contact or by the sharing of needles used to inject drugs. The virus can also be passed from an infected mother to a baby during childbirth. Health care workers and emergency and rescue workers are at risk if they are exposed to infected blood and body fluids through their work.
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Hepatitis B Vaccine
Several doses of Hepatitis B vaccine are needed for protection. The most common schedule consists of three doses of vaccine given over a six month period. The first dose is given; then one month later a second dose is given; five months later a third dose is given.
The Ministry of Health provides free Hepatitis B vaccine to the following:
- Grade seven students - two doses of vaccine are required for adolescents aged 11 to 15 years, four to six months apart.
- Infants born to a carrier mother
- Household and sexual contacts of chronic carriers
- Patients on renal dialysis and those with disorders requiring frequent receipt of blood products
- Household and sexual contacts of acute cases
- Intravenous drug users
- Men who have sex with men and heterosexuals with multiple partners
- Those individuals getting a needle stick injury in a non-health care setting
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INFLUENZA
Influenza is a highly contagious illness caused by a virus. The classic symptoms of influenza include a cough, fever, chills, burning watery eyes, stuffy nose, muscle aches and pains, weakness and loss of appetite. A case of influenza can keep a person in bed for 5-10 days.
Influenza can result in serious complications such as pneumonia, kidney failure and a variety of nervous system disorders; in some cases these complications are life threatening.
More about the Flu
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Influenza Vaccine
Annual immunization with influenza vaccine is the single most effective means of preventing or minimizing influenza. Components of the influenza vaccine change yearly. Anyone with a severe allergy to eggs should not receive the influenza vaccine
The annual flu epidemic usually occurs between November and April. The best time to receive the influenza vaccine is in late October or early November, but it is never too late to receive protection. It usually takes ten days for the vaccine to become effective.
REMEMBER - you must get influenza vaccine every fall to be protected.
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PNEUMONIA
Pneumonia is a serious bacterial infection of the lungs. It is spread from person to person by sneezing or coughing or by handling freshly soiled items. Symptoms include shaking, chills, fever, pain, shortness of breath, and a cough with rusty colored sputum.
In infants the first symptoms may be vomiting and convulsions. In the elderly it may be less obvious and only seen on an X-ray. Pneumonia is a significant cause of death in infants and the elderly.
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Pneumococcus
Pneumococcus(new-mo-cockus), also called Streptococcus pheumoniae is a bacterium that is a major cause of meningitis, blood infections, pneumonia, and ear infections.
It is contagious and transmitted through the air by such common things as coughing and sneezing. The bacteria live in the nose and throat of many normal healthy children. In some children it can cause ear infections, pneumonia, blood infections and meningitis.
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Pneumococcal Vaccine
The vaccine has decreased the death rate from pneumonia significantly. This vaccine protects the individual against 23 types of pneumonia which causes approximately 90% of pneumococcal pneumonia. In healthy individuals 80% or more of those vaccinated will develop good protection. Those with poor immune systems may not develop the same protection.
Pneumococcal vaccine is recommended for anyone over the age of 65 and anyone with chronic illnesses (e.g. Heart disease, lungs, kidney, diabetes, cancer).
REMEMBER - only one dose is needed in a lifetime.
(with some exceptions)
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Pneumococceal Conjugate Vaccine
This vaccine helps to protect infants and children from serious pneumococcal diseases, such as meningitis and blood infection. It also reduces the risk of pneumococcal pnuemonia and ear infections.
The vaccine is recommended for infants and children aged 6 weeks to two years and may be given to children of up to five years in age. See your family doctor for it. There may be a charge.
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LYME DISEASE (no vaccine available)
Lyme disease is an illness that is caused by the bacteria "Borrelia Burgdorferi". This bacteria is found in the mid-gut of the Ixode scapularis species of tick and is transmitted to humans by its bite. The disease presents itself in stages starting off with the characteristic "bulls-eye" rash, progressing into joint, nervous system and heart problems that can be chronic (long-lasting) in nature. Antibiotics are the treatment of choice for Lyme disease.
Although the disease is uncommon, the Ixodes tick that transmits Lyme disease has been identified in the area. Between 1984 and 1995, a total of 14 cases of Lyme disease were reported in the Northwestern Ontario region, while 228 cases were reported for all of Ontario. It is believed that endemic areas are the Long Point and Point Pelee regions of Ontario as well as the States of Minnesota and Wisconsin. Migratory birds transport the tick into the Thunder Bay area therefore causing cases of Lyme disease to be reported. There are many different species of ticks but not all of them carry the bacteria "borrelia burgdorferi". The chance of actually contracting Lyme disease in the Thunder Bay area is rare. However, because the resulting disease can be serious, strategies for prevention should be considered when out in the woods or in bushy areas.
Prevention and Management of Ticks
- Cover up – wear long sleeved shirt, high socks and runners
- Favour light coloured clothesConduct daily "tick checks" – most often in hair, ears, underarms, trunks of body, groin and back of knees
- Shower when you come in from outdoors, wash clothes immediately
- Remove ticks – If unattached, simply brush off. If attached remove tick gently with a pair of tweezers (pull slowly to detach entire tick)
- Save tick for later identification
- Use insect repellents on clothing
- Check pets and remove ticks
- Clear brush, cut long grass near home, place wood piles away from residence
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VARICELLA (Chickenpox)
This is a highly contagious infection caused by the varicella zoster virus. It is spread from person to person by coughing, sneezing and touching something that has come in contact with the virus. A person is most contagious 1 to 4 days before the rash appears. Chickenpox starts with small dark pimples. These turn into blisters that look like drops of water on the skin. The blisters are itchy. As they heal, they turn into scabs. Your child may have a mild fever (37.7C/100F) and malaise (generally feeling unwell). The disease is usually mild in children but may be complicated by pneumonia or encephalitis in adults. Chickenpox can be dangerous to those who have not had the disease before especially newborn babies, pregnant women, and persons who are immune suppressed (these are people who have a serious illness such as cancer or who are on medications which suppress immunity).
If you think your child has chickenpox, notify your school or daycare so that parents of immune suppressed children may be notified.
A child with mild illness of chickenpox may return to school or daycare as soon as he/she is well enough to participate in normal activities (regardless of the state of the rash).
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Vaccine
It is a well tolerated, live, attenuated (weakened) vaccine, administered by injection.
- Children 1 to 12 years of age need 1 dose.
- Children >12 years of age and adults need 2 doses, 4 weeks apart.
- For those 13 years of age and over, it is cost effective to have a blood test done to determine immunity since only 5 to 7% will not be immune to chickenpox.
Chickenpox vaccine may be given at the same time as routine childhood immunizations without loss of protection or increase in side effects.
It is not recommended for:
- anyone with blood disorder; leukemia, lymphomas, or other malignant diseases affecting the bone marrow or lymph system (cancer treatments, or high doses of prednisone)
- anyone on treatment or medicine that interferes with the immune system
- Anyone with AIDS
- anyone with a family history of immune problems unless the individual has been proven to have a healthy immune system
- anyone with active untreated tuberculosis (TB)
- Anyone with an active illness with fever
- anyone under the age of 1 year
- anyone pregnant
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