Immunization Summary Shots may hurt a little, but the diseases they can prevent are a lot worse. Some are even life-threatening. Immunization shots, or vaccinations, are essential. They protect against things like measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, polio, tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough). Immunizations are important for adults as well as children. Your immune system helps your body fight germs by producing substances to combat them. Once it does, the immune system “remembers” the germ and can fight it again. Vaccines contain germs that have been killed or weakened. When given to a healthy person, the vaccine triggers the immune system to respond and thus build immunity. Before vaccines, people became immune only by actually getting a disease and surviving it. Immunizations are an easier and less risky way to become immune. NIH: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Related Issues 10 Reasons to Get Vaccinated Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Community Immunity (Herd Immunity) National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Community Immunity: How Vaccines Protect Us All National Institutes of Health Current Vaccine Shortages and Delays Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Evaluating Information about Vaccines on the Internet National Network for Immunization Information Finding Your Adult Vaccination Record Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Frequently Asked Questions on Syncope After Vaccination Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Heart Disease, Stroke, or Other Cardiovascular Disease and Adult Vaccination Centers for Disease Control and Prevention HIV Infection and Adult Vaccination Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Ingredients of Vaccines Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Liver Disease and Adult Vaccination Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Possible Side-Effects from Vaccines Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Understanding Thimerosal, Mercury, and Vaccine Safety Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Vaccinations for Adults with Diabetes Immunization Action Coalition Vaccine Adverse Events Food and Drug Administration Vaccines and Thimerosal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Weakened Immune System and Adult Vaccination Centers for Disease Control and Prevention What Would Happen If We Stopped Vaccinations? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Who Should Not Get Vaccinated with These Vaccines? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention NIH MedlinePlus Magazine Adults Need Vaccines, Too! NLM Grantee’s “HealthMap” Helps Uncover Measles Vaccination Gap Encyclopedia Antibody titer Find an Expert Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Travelers’ Health: Destinations Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Vaccine Adverse Reactions National Institutes of Health ClinicalTrials.gov: Vaccines National Institutes of Health Start Here FAQs about Vaccines and Diseases They Prevent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Get Important Shots Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Immunization Schedules for Adults Centers for Disease Control and Prevention List of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Vaccines for Adults: Which Do You Need? Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Vaccines.gov Department of Health and Human Services What Is a Vaccine? National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Reference Desk Immune System National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Women Immunization and Pregnancy Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Immunization for Women American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Immunization Issues: Vaccines for Pregnant Women National Network for Immunization Information Vaccines and Pregnancy Organization of Teratology Information Specialists Array Immunizations – diabetes Vaccines Children MedlinePlus: Childhood Immunization National Library of Medicine Journal Articles Immunization Seniors Recommended Immunizations for Adults 50+ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Shots for Safety National Institute on Aging Diagnosis and Tests Screening Checklist for Contraindications to Vaccines for Adults Immunization Action Coalition Images Vaccine-Preventable Disease Photos Immunization Action Coalition Health Check Tools What Vaccines Do You Need? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Latest News Clues to Zika Virus’ Structure May Point to Weaknesses HealthDay Malaria Vaccine Shows Promise in Small Study HealthDay New Dengue Virus Vaccine Shows Promise HealthDay Adults Don’t Need Tetanus Shot Every Decade HealthDay Ridding U.S. of Hepatitis B, C as ‘Public Health Problem’ Possible HealthDay Two-Step Ebola Vaccine Strategy Works in Early Trial HealthDay
