Vaccination is a preventive measure against infectious diseases and is also called protective vaccination, vaccination or immunization. Vaccinations protect against a variety of diseases caused mainly by viruses and bacteria. The following vaccinations are distinguished:
- Standard vaccinations (regular vaccinations).
- Booster vaccinations
- Indication vaccinations – vaccination for people with individual risk.
- Vaccinations due to special occupational risks
- Vaccinations due to travel (synonym: travel medical vaccinations).
- Postexposure prophylaxis (synonym: latch vaccinations) in infected contacts.
Standard vaccinations (regular vaccinations)
Vaccinations for infants, children, adolescents, pregnant women/breastfeeding mothers and adults are now part of individual preventive care. Standard vaccinations based on the vaccination recommendations of the Permanent Vaccination Commission of the Robert Koch Institute (STIKO) are described below.
Indication Vaccinations
Indication vaccinations are vaccinations that are given because of an increased individual health risk. These include:
- TBE (early summer meningoencephalitis).
- Gynatren vaccination*
- Herpes zoster (shingles)*
- HiB (Haemophilus influenzae type b)
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Influenza (flu)
- Measles (Morbilli)
- Meningococcal
- Pertussis (whooping cough)
- Pneumococcus
- Poliomyelitis (polio)
- Rubella (German measles)
- Swine flu vaccination*
- StroVac vaccination*
- Varicella (chickenpox)
* Vaccinations for which there is no recommendation of the Robert Koch Institute (STIKO).
Vaccinations due to increased occupational risk
These vaccinations are given based on occupational risk. They include:
- TBE (early summer meningoencephalitis).
- Yellow fever
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Influenza
- Measles
- Meningococcal
- Mumps
- Pertussis
- Poliomyelitis
- Rabies (rabies)
- Rubella
- Varicella
Travel medical vaccinations
“Travel medical vaccinations” lists vaccinations against diseases that occur in travel countries and are recommended when traveling to that country. During a travel medicine consultation, depending on your destination, you will be advised of the vaccinations necessary for the patient depending on age, existing pregnancy and any pre-existing conditions. These include:
- Cholera
- Diphtheria
- TBE (early summer meningoencephalitis)
- Yellow fever
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Influenza
- Japanese encephalitis
- Meningococcal meningitis
- Poliomyelitis
- Rabies (rabies)
- Typhoid fever
Post-exposure prophylaxis
Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) or bar vaccination (synonym: incubation vaccination) is a vaccination measure initiated after an outbreak of disease. The aim of this vaccination is to prevent further spread of the pathogen by inducing faster antibody production in contact persons. Thus, these vaccinations are given when there is contact in the family or a community with the vaccine-preventable diseases. These include:
- Diphtheria
- TBE (early summer meningoencephalitis)
- HiB (Haemophilus influenzae type b)
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Measles
- Meningococcal
- Mumps
- Pertussis
- Poliomyelitis
- Rabies (rabies)
- Tetanus
- Varicella
Contraindications
The following general contraindications to the implementation of vaccination must be observed:
- Acute illnesses requiring treatment – ill persons should be vaccinated at the earliest two weeks after complete recovery.
- Allergies to components of the vaccine
- During pregnancy, only urgently indicated vaccinations should be performed
- In cases of congenital or acquired immunodeficiencies, consultation with the attending physician should be made before vaccination with a live vaccine; serologic success monitoring should be performed after vaccination
The following symptoms/diseases are not contraindications to vaccination:
- Banal infections with temperatures < 38.5 °C
- Seizures in the family
- Disposition for febrile convulsions
- Localized skin infections, eczema
- Therapy with antibiotics, corticosteroids (low dose).
- Congenital/acquired immunodeficiencies when vaccinated with inactivated vaccines.
- Neonatal icterus
- Premature infants should be vaccinated according to the recommended age of vaccination.
Vaccination intervals
Basically, for intervals between different vaccinations:
- Live vaccines can be administered simultaneously; if they are not administered simultaneously, then an interval of four weeks should be observed for live viral vaccines
- No intervals need to be observed for inactivated vaccines
Time intervals between vaccinations and surgery:
- In the case of urgent indication for surgery, no time interval must be observed
- In elective surgery should wait at least 3 days after vaccination with an inactivated vaccine and at least 14 days for vaccination with a live vaccine.
Vaccination reactions
The following vaccination reactions are more common:
- Local reaction with redness, swelling around the injection site – usually occur 6 to 48 hours after vaccination.
- General reactions with fever (< 39.5 C°), headache/limb pain, malaise – usually occur in the first 72 hours after vaccination
- Vaccine sickness – up to 4 weeks after MMR vaccination possible; it comes to measles / mumps-like symptoms with increased body temperature (= vaccine measles); mostly mild courses.
- Severe side effects are extremely rare
