How do Vaccines work?

We are surrounded by germs, both in our bodies and in our environment. If a person encounters a harmful organism, it can lead to disease and death. Our body has a defense mechanism against these disease-causing organisms (also known as pathogens). To prevent pathogens from entering the body in the first place we have skin, cilia, and mucus as physical barriers. When a pathogen tries to infect the body, the body’s defense system, called the immune system, attacks the pathogen and destroys or overcomes it.

Natural Response of Body

A pathogen is made up of several subparts, unique to them and the disease they cause. The subpart of a pathogen causing the formation of antibodies is called an antigen. In the response to the pathogen’s antigen, antibodies are produced. This is an important part of the immune system as antibodies are the soldiers in our body’s defense system. When a human body gets exposed to an antigen for the first time, it takes time for the immune system to respond and produce antibodies specific to that particular antigen. In the meantime, the person is at a high risk of becoming ill.

Once the antigen-specific antibodies are produced, they work with the rest of the immune system and destroy the pathogen to stop the disease. In its primary response to an antigen, when once the body produces antibodies, it also creates antibody-producing memory cells, which remain alive even after the pathogen is defeated by the antibodies. If the body is exposed to the same pathogen again, the antibody response is much faster and more effective than the first time.

Why Vaccine is Helpful?

A vaccine is a tiny weakened non-dangerous fragment of the organism and includes parts of the antigen. It’s enough that our body can learn to build the specific antibody. Then if the body encounters the real antigen later, as part of the real organism, it already knows how to defeat it.

There are some vaccines that require multiple doses. Multiple doses are needed for the development of memory cells and the production of long-lived antibodies. In this way, the body becomes safer. If the same disease-causing organism tries to attack the body, the body fight against it rapidly.

Hence, the vaccine is important. It not only protects yourself but also protects those in the community who are unable to be vaccinated.

By: Rinku Negi
Great Mission Public School, Uttarakhand