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International Vaccine Institute: International Vaccinology Course

 

 

The five-day course will be held virtually and free of charge. Participants will gain a comprehensive over view of vaccinology with a focus on COVID-19, featuring lectures from distinguished experts across global health and vaccine organizations including WHO, GAVI, CEPI, U.S National Institute of Health, National Vaccine Institute Thailand, Wellcome Trust, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Harvard University, IVI and many more.

 

Find out more about the course and how to register for free here.

 

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The oral Human papillomavirus (HPV) can be gotten through oral sex. But what are the implications of oral HPV infection? Are there ways to prevent it? These are the key questions we will be answering on this article.

HPV is a very contagious virus, with over 100 strains that causes numerous diseases such as genital warts, cervical cancer, and other cancers such as cancers of the anus, vagina, vulva, and penis.

It will be very important to note that HPV is responsible for over 70% of throat and neck cancer, what medically is called ‘’oropharyngeal cancer. ‘’ However, other factors such as smoking or chewing tobacco, alcohol use, and gastroesophageal reflux disease might be contributing factors.

In addition, after infection this cancer takes years to develop and it is a very difficult cancer to screen for, so unlike cervical cancer which can be detected on time by doing a pap smear or HPV test, there isn’t a known test to detect throat cancer in a timely fashion, but physical assessment by your doctor or dentist during a regular visit for check-up especially when you are experiencing symptoms such as chronic cough, ear pain, difficulties when swallowing, prolonged sore throat, throat pain, voice changes, lumps or swelling in the throat or lymph nodes, and unexplained weight loss might be very helpful. More so, some persons might not experience any symptom.

 

How do we prevent throat infection by HPV?

It is the dream of everyone to lead a happy life and be here for our loved ones, friends, and families. Preventing the suffering and pains associated with infectious diseases is important in achieving our dreams. There several ways to prevent HPV infection of the mouth and they include: quit smoking, stop or reduce intake of alcohol, make use of Dental Dams, but one of the most effective way is to get vaccinated against HPV; there are about three major vaccines but the human papillomavirus 9-valent vaccine is the most effective means.

To find out how to get vaccinated contact Inocul8 on 08160962414 or send us an email on [email protected]

 

Most times when people test positive for viral hepatitis B; they begin to wonder how they got it? So many questions start to run through their mind. In this article, we are going to discuss mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B virus infection , how it might be a cause of hepatitis B in people who don’t know how they got the virus, and how it can be prevented.

When Dayo was first told by his Doctor that he was hepatitis B positive, the first questions from him was ” what is hepatitis B? how did I get it? ” he asked.

”Hepatitis B is an infection caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmitted via infected blood and body fluid” he was told.

 

But how did he get it?

There are several ways a person can contract hepatitis B virus infection, but mother-to-child transmission is one of the most common routes.

When a woman is pregnant, at her first prenatal (during pregnancy) visit to the clinic, she is screened for viral hepatitis B – this ensures early detection.

 

Why is this important?

It is estimated that 90% of children who contract hepatitis B from their mother during the process of childbirth will go on to live with it for the rest of their lives.

Furthermore, the risk of mother-to-child transmission is significantly higher in expectant mothers who have plasma HBV DNA levels greater than 2,000 IU/ML and/or are hepatitis B envelope antigen-positive (HBeAg positive).

In the absence of antiviral therapy and immunoprophylaxis (hepatitis B vaccine and hepatitis B immunoglobulin) about 70% to 90% of babies born to hepatitis B envelope positive (HBeAg positive), mothers might become positive for hepatitis B.

 

What can a family do to prevent their infant from getting infected with hepatitis B, if a mother is hepatitis B positive?

First, ensure an expectant mother get screened for hepatitis B and knows her status before term.

Secondly, antiviral therapy to prevent mother-to-child transmission should be initiated according to experts during week 28 to 32 of gestation, if a mother HBV DNA level is greater than 200,000 IU/mL and it should be discontinued at delivery, however, there are other factors to be considered.

Additionally, positive women who don’t meet the above criteria should monitor their status by doing a liver function test every 3 months during pregnancy and every 6 months after giving birth – the level of Alanine aminotransferase enzyme (ALT) has a lot to reveal.

Lastly, the baby should receive birth dose hepatitis B vaccination and hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) within 12 hours of birth: this reduces the risk of a baby contracting hepatitis B by at least 92%.

In conclusion, chances are high Dayo must have gotten hepatitis B as a child from his infected mother, his condition was asymptomatic, and he got to discover his status 20 to 30 years later.

 

For enquiry contact Inocul8:

Mobile/WhatsApp: 08160962414

Email: [email protected]

It all started as pain during sexual intercourse with her partner, then she started noticing abnormal vaginal bleeding between periods, unusual vaginal discharge, and heavier periods – these made Vivian very troubled and uncomfortable, and prompted her actions to seek help medically.

 

On visiting her doctor, she was interviewed, examined, and a Pap smear was conducted. The next day, she visited, her results were ready, and her Pap smear revealed she had abnormal malignant cells in her cervix: a sign of cervical cancer.

 

Vivian was scheduled for further investigation and subsequently, an operation was done to get rid of the abnormal cells – she was lucky to discover on time when cancer hadn’t spread to other parts of her body (metastasis). After successful surgery, she got vaccinated and lives happily and healthily with her family.

 

What happened in Vivian’s case?

 

First, she never prioritized her health; she wrongly thought she could not get cervical cancer because she didn’t have it in her family.

 

Secondly, she never went for Pap smear screening every 3 years or even HPV test, she never saw a need to get screened: forgetting it’s the best form of prevention.

 

Furthermore, she never knew most cases of cervical cancer are caused by Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) a highly contagious sexually transmitted virus – There are over 100 strains of HPV but strains 16 & 18 are highly implicated as the major cause of cervical cancer, whereas HPV 6 & 11 cause genital warts.

 

Fourthly, despite Vivian knew HPV is mostly spread through vaginal intercourse, anal intercourse, and oral sex, and can infect anyone sexually active. What she didn’t know is that – It is not spread through bodily fluid alone hence cannot be prevented completely using a condom. In addition, since HPV is also spread through skin-to-skin contact with an area of the body infected with the virus, thus, never having sex doesn’t guarantee not being infected.

 

Lastly, she thought she had passed the age to get vaccinated against HPV, not knowing even women up to 45 years can be vaccinated.

 

To find out more on how to prevent cervical cancer via screening and vaccination contact Inocul8 08160962414.

 

John a tall and broad-built young man in his early thirties finds himself in a dilemma of genital warts months after having sex with a young lady. Will he find the solution he seeks? Why was condom ineffective in protecting him? This and many more you will find out on this episode.

 

One cool Monday morning while having his bath, he noticed some soft, moist, pink, and fresh-coloured bumps around his genitals and anus. He was shocked and curious, looked further to inspect what they were but he could not fathom or decipher these irritating (he was trypophobic) horny projection on his skin.

 

Feeling troubled he decided to do his research on Google, and then he discovered what he was having is similar to what he found on the internet: Genital warts. This was the first time he was hearing about a disease called genital warts.

 

The more he studied the more he became furious and agitated. He decided to visit his doctor the next day.

 

Hey John what brings you to me today? Hey Doc, there are these strange funny looking kinds of stuff around my genitals, I don’t feel comfortable having them on my body, I did a few findings on the internet and I think they are warts.

 

Come on John let me assess you. Truly they are genital warts. What must have caused them John asked? You know, unfortunately, more than 50% of sexually active men and women will be infected by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) at some point in their lives. Warts you see are caused by HPV 6 & 11. The chances of even getting them are higher if you have multiple sexual partners because frequent sexual contact is the most consistent predictor of HPV infection- what I mean is this; the number of sexual partners is proportionately linked to the risk of HPV infection.

 

But I used protection he screamed angrily! Calm down John, Sadly, condom doesn’t give adequate protection against HPV; HPV is a very contagious sexually transmitted infection that spreads by skin-to-skin contact usually during oral, anal, or genital sex with an infected person. Other types of genital contact in the absence of penetration can also lead to infection – so in this case condom is helpless.

 

So what do we do now, he speaks in a low tone? There are several ways we go about treatment of warts; we can physically destroy them via electrosurgery, cryosurgery with liquid nitrogen or solid CO2, laser fulguration (drying), or we can apply podophyllum drug or even inject IFN-alpha, these are some of the effective ways to treat. I’ll suggest after successful treatment you get vaccinated to prevent reoccurrence.

 

Are warts prevented via vaccines he exclaimed!

 

To be continued….

For free consultation and counseling contact Inocul8 on 08160962414 or [email protected]

Funmi a tall vibrant and charming young lady in her early thirties, who valued friendship and family: not a day went by without her celebrating her friends’ and family’s birthday on her WhatsApp status and Facebook.

 

One Monday morning as she prepared to head for her office, she noticed a blister around her genitals; it made her uncomfortable- as it was itchy, though she ignored and thought it was normal aftershave rashes she usually experiences- she recently shaved.

 

A few days later, she noticed more blisters, as the initial one had burst- leading to a painful and unbearable sore-which distorted her movement and made urinating painful as her urine irritates the sore. This time around she knew she had to see her doctor- she scheduled an appointment with him.

 

On meeting her doctor, Dr. Smith asked her several questions- she told him how she felt- he observed her, and requested for samples to be collected for laboratory investigation via a swab, and promised to follow-up on her via a phone call once her results are out- after arriving at his final diagnosis.

 

The next day, while lying down on her couch watching Ave and Praggya, her phone rang- it was Dr. Smith’s call- she quickly reduced the television volume to receive his call, and their conversation started.

 

So Funmi, from the lab results and my initial interview with you, we discovered you are having Herpes! Funmi was marveled and lost, the initial grin she had on her face disappeared instantly. What is Herpes? she responded. Herpes is an infection caused by a virus- the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV), it affects sexually active people, and there are two major types: HSV1 and HSV2 he told her. HSV2- is what we are going to be managing, and it occurs mostly around the genitals, even the use of condoms doesn’t give adequate protection in preventing it. Whereas, HSV1 occurs around the face and causes blisters around the corner of the mouth – leading to what we call cold sores.

 

This is strange oh! Where must I have gotten this from? Funmi it’s difficult to know but no need for suspicion- some people have herpes and they never experience signs and symptoms, however, they can spread it to others. Others contract HSV1 from their mothers during the process of childbirth as they passed through her birth canal. Information I feel is important for you to also know is this: you can’t get herpes from toilet seats, bedding, swimming pools, or from touching surrounding objects.

 

Wait a minute! she took a deep breath, and exhaled before asking- Dr. Smith can it be cured? What can I do to prevent others from getting it? Will it affect pregnancy?

 

At this point you need to calm down, as herpes is not a big issue as portrayed on the internet- so I will advise you only read about it on professional websites- it will be good if you don’t even search on it, as I will provide you with all the information you need. So back to your questions, unfortunately, herpes can’t be cured, but it can be managed using antiviral medications: this helps prevent transmitting it to your partner or baby when you are pregnant- shortens the duration and reduce the severity of the first herpes episode. Ordinarily, I’ll advise you to avoid having sex when you are experiencing an outbreak (you see blisters, painful ulcers, fever, itching, body aches e.t.c).

 

As for your last question in the sequence, I will need to talk to you in a face-to-face meeting, for now, take care, and feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

 

For now, Herpes Simplex Virus doesn’t have a vaccine, but we believe we can help more people prevent and manage herpes by empowering them with the right information, feel free to contact Inocul8 on WhatsApp 08160962414 or follow us on Instagram @inocul8.

James a 30-year-old tall gentleman, dark hair, medium build, and slightly squared face: he had all the features that ladies found attractive. He woke up to discover the weird-looking rash was back again around his genitals, not again he said to himself.

 

About six months ago he treated what his doctor called genital warts– he was given some antiviral medications to take and a topical paint which he applied on the warts, it was discomforting after the paints were applied – warts disappeared in a matter of weeks.

 

He could recall vividly where and how he contracted the warts infection ”doctor I got it from a lady I had protected sexual intercourse with. I saw it around her genitals and asked her what they were but she adamantly said nothing.” Yes! You might be right because the use of condoms does not effectively prevent genital warts, as you might know, genital warts are caused by the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) 6 & 11– a group of Sexually Transmitted virus in sexually active people.

 

James hurriedly put on his clothes and drove to his doctors’ office. Sir, it’s back again oh! James exclaimed after he bashed into the office. I thought with treatment it was supposed to completely clear off and never return. The doctor smiled and told him, please sit down let me reemphasize what I told you six months ago: doctor proceeds to educate him on why warts reoccurred.

 

James genital wart is becoming a man’s problem, yes women do get infected and might not experience a high rate of reoccurrence of these warts like men do, and I will tell you why. The risks of getting genital warts are constant for males and remain constant as a man ages.

 

More so, men rarely develop protective antibodies against genital warts after natural infection and can have up to 10 episodes of the disease following effective treatment. This was the reason I told you to get vaccinated after successful treatment – men respond very well to vaccines against genital warts and it was a major reason the vaccine was approved for use in males in 2009 by the FDA.

 

A research found out more than a 50% reduction of genital warts reoccurrence if you are vaccinated after effective treatment, but what happens is that people don’t get vaccinated after they successfully clear the warts, you didn’t get vaccinated as I recommended! Yes, the vaccination cost might be on the high side but the benefits are greater than the pains and discomfort these warts causes.

 

For further education on genital warts and how to prevent reoccurrence via vaccination contact Inocul8 on 08160962414. Or send an email to [email protected]

My family has been in and out of the hospital more often than we should have been in the past few weeks if I had just gone in earlier.

 

Baby and Mama began to develop symptoms two days after I visited. At the hospital, the doctor felt the cases were linked. Talk about imperfect timing, my fever started the day after. 

 

When I found out I was the probable source of the strep bacteria they caught during my visit to the family house, Baby had just been diagnosed with acute otitis media and Mama with severe pneumonia. I was distraught. My diagnosis of community acquired pneumonia came with a striking finality of being sick and being responsible for my mother’s and child’s illness. 

 

I had totally dismissed my developing cough. How was I to know that there could have possibly been some other thing that was wrong? My Covid tests had come back negative twice in two weeks, I thought. I had not had it at all either and we had been in “isolation” at the office complex that housed us while we worked. It was easy to wave-off for me, being a young person, but their age and Mama’s diabetes made them even more vulnerable.

 

Looking back, I can only just blame myself. Maybe my office too, because when last did they clean those AC vents? I had been feeling relatively well but for the cough here and there.

 

I can go on and on looking for excuses, but in all truth I know I could have done better. The local pharmacy had even tried to make me purchase the pneumococcal vaccine in the past, and there I was thinking it was just another marketing gimmick for one of their overpriced products.

 

While I stay mourning the other choices I could have made to avert all this, including going to the hospital earlier or getting everyone vaccinated, I continue to ponder on the last words from the doctor; “Since you cannot change the past, it’s okay to do something now to protect the future”. 

 

For enquiries on how to get vaccinated against pneumonia at your comfort contact Inocul8 on 08160962414.

The joy of every mother is to see her child grow strong and become very successful, besides, being hale and hearty is a prerequisite to achieving the former.

 

We are not alone in this world; we interact with the environment – filled with microorganisms: bacteria, viruses, fungi amongst others.

 

A concerned mother knows the importance of immunization and the roles vaccines play in helping her child stay healthy; so she embarks on the vaccination journey, from birth, 6 weeks, 10 weeks, 14 weeks, 6 months, 9 months, and a year – with the child receiving series of protective antigens that will help his or her body develop antibodies to prevent diseases.

 

However, what most mothers might not understand is that there are vaccines outside ”the National Program on Immunization (NPI),” not funded by the government, but they are important and should be received by every child – the more antibodies your baby has, the more protected they are against diseases, the better it is for you as a family, as you don’t get to spend much money treating what could have been prevented.

 

So what are some of these vaccines your child should receive from a year and above?

 

First, as from one year, your baby should receive the following vaccines: Measles Mumps and Rubella (MMR), Measles vaccine, Chickenpox vaccine, Cholera vaccine, Hepatitis A vaccine, while receiving booster doses for Diphtheria, Pertussis, and Tetanus (DPT) – this can be taken in the form of Pentavalent vaccine in Nigeria – it is difficult accessing DPT vaccine.

 

Furthermore, as from two years, your baby should receive typhoid fever vaccine, and the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine against cervical cancer at 9 years of age (very important for females, besides, males should receive a different brand of the vaccine too: by males getting vaccinated females are protected).

 

A point you should know is that, the private facility your child receive these vaccines might choose to spread them from a year and above, but they cannot administer earlier than recommended, for example; typhoid vaccine can’t be given before 2 years, but can be received even when a child or adult is 3 years, 6 years, 18 years, and so on.

 

At Inocul8 we work towards a disease-free world, where communities are immune against diseases, that is why we ensure you can get vaccinated anywhere you: are home, office, market, hotels. Each shot makes you stronger than a disease that is why your health is important to us.

 

For more information feel free to contact and consult Inocul8 on 08160962414.

Six weeks after giving birth – Mama Kemi took her baby for her 6-week vaccination – visiting the primary healthcare in her neighborhood. She was welcomed with a smile by a dapper elderly Matron at the health facility.  Good morning mothers you all should have your sit – she went on to group the mothers based on the vaccination they came for; mothers for 6 weeks vaccination sat on her right-hand side, and mothers for 10 weeks and above vaccination sat on the other side.

 

First, I will be addressing mothers who came for 6 weeks vaccination; thanks for coming today, you’ve made a sacrifice to preserve the health of your baby, by ensuring they are protected from infectious diseases. If you were not consumed by the joy of your baby’s birth; you should recall within 12 hours after delivery, three vaccines were administered to your baby: Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG), Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV), and Hepatitis B vaccine.

 

The BCG vaccine helps your baby prevent tuberculosis a life-threatening disease – affects the lungs, and makes them cough non-stop: she demonstrated by coughing continuously into her pam – the atmosphere was filled with laughter like the health facility hall became a night of a thousand laugh comedy show.

 

The second vaccine baby receive na Oral polio vaccine, she switched to pidgin English: to accommodate mothers not highly educated – this one dey help pikin prevent polio infection wey they paralyze pikin: you go don see people wey polio affect their legs, he go prevent the leg from developing, so tay pikin no go ever fit waka. The mothers were all moved emotionally and suddenly the atmosphere became calm; they must have been able to recollect the picture of a person seated on a wheelchair seeking for alms someplace, sometime in their community.

 

The last vaccine baby received was hepatitis B vaccine, that vaccine one helps prevent hepatitis B infection – It affects the liver, and causes liver problems: liver injury (cirrhosis) and liver cancer.

 

Hope everyone has learned something? If you have questions ask or forever remain silent, she jokingly exclaimed! So back to today’s vaccination.

To learn more about other childhood vaccines contact Inocul8 on 08160962414.