Pronunciation: [vˌaksɪnˈe͡ɪʃən] (IPA) 
The word "vaccination" is spelled with two c's and two n's because it comes from the Latin word "vacca", meaning cow. In the 18th century, smallpox was treated by infecting people with a milder form of the disease found in cows, known as cowpox. This process was called variolation, and later led to the development of the vaccine. The word "vaccination" is pronounced /ˌvæksɪˈneɪʃən/ in IPA phonetic transcription.
Vaccination is a medical procedure that involves the administration of a vaccine agent, which is a preparation containing weakened or inactivated microorganisms, their toxins, or recombinant DNA molecules designed to trigger an immune response in the body. The purpose of vaccination is to stimulate the immune system, enabling it to recognize and combat specific infectious diseases, thereby offering protection against future infections.
During vaccination, the vaccine is typically injected into the body through a needle, although some vaccines can also be administered orally or via nasal sprays. Once introduced into the body, the vaccine triggers the immune system to produce specific antibodies or immune cells that target and neutralize the specific pathogen or its toxins. Vaccines can be designed to provide immunity against viral, bacterial, or other disease-causing agents.
Vaccination plays a vital role in disease prevention and control. It helps to reduce the incidence and severity of diseases, preventing their spread within a population or community. When a large portion of the population becomes vaccinated against a particular disease, it also contributes to the concept of herd immunity, in which the immunized individuals protect those who cannot receive vaccines due to medical reasons or immunodeficiency.
Overall, vaccination is a significant public health strategy that has led to the eradication or near-eradication of various infectious diseases, such as smallpox and polio, and continues to be crucial in preventing the spread of numerous potentially life-threatening diseases.
1. Inoculation with the virus of cow-pox, or vaccina, as a means of producing immunity against smallpox. 2. The injection of a killed culture of a specific bacterium as a means of prophylaxis or cure of the disease caused by that microorganism.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The act or practice of inoculating persons with the cow-pox in order to secure them from attacks of the small-pox.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "vaccination" originates from the Latin word "vaccinus", which means "of or pertaining to cows". This term is derived from "vacca", which means "cow". The term vaccination refers to the method of medical treatment that utilizes cowpox pustule material to provide immunity against smallpox. The word was coined by Edward Jenner, an English physician, in the early 19th century. Jenner used the term in reference to the practice of inoculating a person with cowpox to protect against smallpox.
