b. Temporary. Temporary waivers of military immunization requirements,
except smallpox and yellow fever, may be granted to personnel traveling under Army
sponsorship to areas outside the United States and Canada for short tours under
conditions which make exposure unlikely. Senior command surgeons have the
authority to grant these waivers. A temporary waiver from any immunization of live
virus, except oral poliomyelitis, can be granted to a pregnant woman. Administration of
any live virus during pregnancy is considered to be contraindicated. The individual
should be informed that without required immunizations she could be detained or
quarantined while traveling. Oral poliomyelitis can be administered during pregnancy
because the weakened polio viruses rarely pass through the membrane of the intestinal
tract.
Section IV. TYPES OF IMMUNITY AND TYPES OF IMMUNIZING AGENTS
1-10. INTRODUCTION
a. Become familiar with these words and their meanings.
(1)
Antigen. A foreign substance which can stimulate the body to produce
antibodies.
(2) Antibody. A substance produced by the body in response to an antigen;
this substance is antagonistic to that specific antigen.
(3)
Immunity. A condition in which a body is not susceptible to a specific
disease.
(4) Vaccine. A preparation of dead or weakened disease organisms used
as an antigen in stimulating the body to produce antibodies against a specific disease.
(5) Toxoid. A toxin which has been changed and weakened by one of the
following: aging; a chemical process; cold; or heat. This substance will produce
antibodies, but the toxoid itself is not harmful to humans.
(6) Immune globulin. The part of human blood containing specific
antibodies used to produce a short term passive immunity.
b. There are several types of immunity. Initially, a distinction can be made
between immunity acquired naturally and immunity acquired artificially.
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