Inokulaation

Inokulaation, or inoculation, is the process of introducing a substance into the body to provoke an immune response. In medical contexts, it most often refers to vaccination—the deliberate administration of a vaccine to develop adaptive immunity to a pathogen. Inoculation can also describe the introduction of immune sera in passive immunization, but here the focus is on health-related immunization.

Historically, inoculation began with variolation in parts of Asia and the Ottoman Empire, using material from smallpox lesions to induce a milder infection. In the late 18th century, Edward Jenner developed vaccination using cowpox to confer protection against smallpox, which led to widespread immunization programs and the eventual eradication of smallpox.

Methods for inoculation include injections (intramuscular, subcutaneous, or intradermal), oral vaccines, nasal sprays, and, in some contexts, transdermal or other delivery systems. Vaccines may contain weakened or inactivated pathogens, subunits, or genetic material that prompts the immune system to recognize and respond to the real pathogen. Passive immunization involves administering antibodies rather than stimulating the body's own immune response, providing temporary protection.

Effectiveness varies by vaccine and pathogen but has led to substantial reductions in disease incidence, hospitalizations, and deaths, and can create herd immunity when coverage is high. Safety monitoring identifies rare adverse events; vaccines are generally considered safe with benefits far exceeding risks.

See also: immunization, vaccination, variolation, herd immunity.