Immuniseren

Immuniseren, also known as immunization or vaccination, is a process that strengthens the body's immune system to protect it against specific diseases. It typically involves introducing a weakened or inactive form of a pathogen, such as a virus or bacterium, or specific components of it, into the body. This exposure triggers an immune response without causing the full-blown illness. The immune system learns to recognize the pathogen and develops memory cells. If the body encounters the actual pathogen later, these memory cells can mount a rapid and effective defense, preventing or significantly reducing the severity of the disease.

The most common method of immunization is through vaccination, where a vaccine is administered, usually by injection, but sometimes orally or nasally. Vaccines are designed to be safe and effective, and the antigens they contain are carefully chosen to stimulate a protective immune response. There are various types of vaccines, including live-attenuated vaccines, inactivated vaccines, subunit vaccines, and toxoid vaccines, each working on slightly different principles. Immunization is a cornerstone of public health, credited with eradicating or significantly reducing the incidence of many infectious diseases that were once widespread and deadly, such as smallpox and polio. It protects not only the vaccinated individual but also contributes to herd immunity, which protects vulnerable populations who cannot be vaccinated.