MMR VACCINE:
MMR (Mumps, measles and rubella virus) vaccine is administered to develop immunity against the three viral infections such as mumps, measles and rubella. MMR is a combination of vaccine strains from the measles, mumps and rubella and is has a high efficacy rate as compared to vaccines.
ACTION OF VACCINE:
It works by stimulating the immune system by producing the antibodies that are specific for a disease by inducing non-communicable and subclinical infectious particles. The immune system of the body is under the control of white blood cells, which are considered as the defense system of the body. Defense system of the body acts as the barrier for fighting against the foreign particles like bacteria and viruses. WBC are further divided into three important components such as macrophages (engulf and digest the foreign body materials or infectious particles), B lymphocytes (produces antibodies against the antigens that were escaped from macrophages) and T lymphocytes (attack the infected cells of the body), each of which performing their respective functions.
MMR (Mumps, Measles and Rubella virus) vaccine is an immunogen, and has been recorded to produce measles antibodies in about 95 % of individuals, rubella antibodies in again 95 % of individuals and mumps neutralizing antibodies in approximately 96 % of recipients. When MMR vaccine is administered into the body, it emulates the infection in the body, though this infection is not harmful and doesn’t cause any disease in the body, but it can activate the immune system for the production of T lymphocytes and antibodies. Administration of vaccine sometimes may cause minor symptoms like fever, but they are normal and shouldn’t be confused with the disease because the internal body was building the immunity against the disease. After few days or weeks of vaccine administration when the infection from imitation goes away, it remains in the body as a memory for the T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes which will help them in future for fighting against the disease. Production of T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes may take some time, possibly few weeks. It has been observed that many individuals suffer from the disease or symptoms of disease before or just after the vaccination process because the vaccine didn’t get the enough time to immune the body against the particular disease. Usually 2 doses of this vaccine are administered in the body because many people don’t develop enough immunity after taking one dose. MMR vaccine has been considered as the live attenuated vaccine because they are carrying the live virus that was weakened enough to protect the body from disease. Apart from all the advantages of the vaccine, these vaccines cannot be administered to everyone as they may react in the people having low immunity or compromised immunity, such as children who are going through chemotherapy. Many clinical studies have been carried which suggests that the protection against the MMR vaccine can be measured with the help of hem agglutination inhibition assays, neutralization assays, and enzyme linked immune-absorbent assay tests. These all tests have high rate of sensitivity.
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