Oral vaccines are the latest development in vaccine technology. The pill version of a vaccine is an alternative to getting an injection, and delivers the same kind of vaccination. Oral vaccines do have side effects though, so while they might be a blessing to the needlephobic, you should carefully consider your options before taking an oral vaccine.
Vaccinations in a Bottle.
What Oral Vaccines Are Available?
There are a few types of oral vaccines on the market: the well-known polio vaccine, aTy21a typhoid vaccine, a malaria vaccine and a rotavirus vaccine.
How Is An Oral Vaccine Different?
The oral vaccine is composed of live, attenuated (weakened) virus cells, unlike an injection where the viruses are killed. When you take an oral vaccine, according to research done in Case Western Reserve University, the live virus stimulates responses not just systemically, but at the mucosal sites where the virus can enter the body (like the nose and mouth). This can prevent a virus from even entering the body, because the mucosal system is also immune. Injections produce a systemic response, producing antibodies against the virus once it enters your body.
Side Effects of Oral Vaccines
While all vaccines have side effects, oral vaccines can be more dangerous because it uses live viruses. Any person with a compromised immune system should be cautious of taking an oral vaccine, because if the immune response is not strong enough, you risk actually getting the disease you were trying to prevent. Side effects, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, generally include fever or headache (up to about 5 people per 100), upset stomach or other stomach problems, nausea, vomiting, or rash (rare). Because it is a live but weakened virus, any conditions more severe than these need to be addressed by a doctor immediately.
Who Should Take An Oral Vaccine?
People living in or traveling to third world countries where incidences of typhoid, malaria and polio are high should definitely consider getting vaccinated. For infants, the rotavirus vaccine is also recommended to prevent serious cases of diarrhea.
Benefits of Oral Vaccines
The benefits of oral vaccines go beyond just scary needles. There is always a risk that the needle might not be sterilized, so an oral vaccine eliminates any kind of contamination. It is also cheaper to administer because you do not have to be in a clinical setting to get your doses of vaccine. Finally, because the oral vaccine stimulates more than a systemic response, it is an excellent way to prevent the disease for people with immune systems that can handle the live, attenuated viruses.
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