Oltókészítmények

Oltókészítmények, commonly referred to as vaccines, are biological preparations designed to stimulate an individual's immune system to protect against a specific disease. They typically contain agents that resemble the disease-causing microorganism, such as weakened or inactivated forms of the microbe, its toxins, or one of its surface proteins. When introduced into the body, these agents are recognized by the immune system as foreign. In response, the immune system mounts a defense, producing antibodies and memory cells. This immunological memory allows the body to recognize and fight off the actual pathogen more effectively if exposed in the future, thereby preventing or significantly reducing the severity of the illness.

The development and use of vaccines have been a cornerstone of public health, leading to the eradication or significant reduction of many infectious diseases that once caused widespread mortality and morbidity. Examples include smallpox, polio, measles, and tetanus. Vaccines can be administered through various routes, most commonly injection, but also orally or intranasally. The effectiveness and safety of vaccines are rigorously tested through extensive clinical trials before they are approved for public use, and ongoing surveillance continues to monitor their performance and safety in the wider population. Different types of vaccines exist, including live-attenuated, inactivated, subunit, toxoid, and mRNA vaccines, each employing distinct mechanisms to induce immunity.