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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
Vaccines stimulate your body to produce immunity against an infection. Those known as live attenuated vaccines use a very weak form of a virus (occasionally, bacteria) to achieve this. Using them means that a modified form of the threat, which the vaccine is meant to target, does enter the body. This is done to spur an immune system response, typically without causing illness. Some people oppose live vaccine use because they think it can cause a virus to spread through a process called shedding. This article explains what that means and why there is little evidence to support this view. Blend Images - ERproductions Ltd / Getty Images Live Vaccines and Viral Shedding When a live vaccine is used to build immunity against a specific virus or other pathogen, the body's response is "virtually identical" to what you would see if you were naturally infected. Live vaccines have saved lives. The process works against many threats, from chickenpox to cholera. But some people say that live vaccines can cause viral shedding. Shedding is what happens when cells in a person's body release viral particles. For example, the virus can go into the air. This may increase the risk of spreading the infection to others. The risk of viral shedding is a top reason why some people hold anti-vaccination views. They say that the use of vaccines, especially live ones, is unsafe.RecapSome vaccines are made by using a live but weaker form of the virus they are meant to target. This leads a healthy body's immune system to respond as intended. Some people oppose their use due to a risk of infection from viral shedding. This risk exists in theory but there is little evidence that it poses a real public health threat. Live vs. Inactivated Vaccines Live attenuated vaccines contain a weakened, mild form of a virus or bacteria. The vaccine is meant to stimulate an immune response in the form of antibodies, a type of protein that fights off infection. The live vaccines stand in contrast to vaccines that use dead bacteria or viruses. These inactivated, or killed, vaccines are still recognized by the immune system as harmful. So they lead to the same antibody response. Live vaccines are meant to simulate a natural infection. They are thought to be better in doing so than the killed vaccines. Usually, they provide lifelong protection with one or two doses. Most killed vaccines need to be given with more than one dose for a complete vaccination. People also tend to need boosters years later to keep the same level of immune protection. Your tetanus vaccine, which uses inactivated tetanus toxin, is one common example.Live attenuated vaccines have a long history of
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