A vaccine is an antigenic preparation used to produce active immunity to a disease, in order to prevent or ameliorate the effects of infection by any natural or "wild" strain of the organism. The term derives from Edward Jenner's use of cowpox ("vacca" means cow in Latin), which, when administered to humans, provided them protection against smallpox, which Pasteur and others perpetuated. The process of distributing and administrating vaccines is referred to as vaccination.
Vaccines against cancer are also being investigated; see cancer vaccine. In this case, the antigenic preparation is derived from the cancer cell. There is also research on an HIV vaccine.

Prevnar.com - Information about Prevnar, a vaccine for infants and toddlers that helps prevent invasive diseases caused by the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae, which can cause bacterial meningitis, blood infections, and other invasive diseases. From Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories.
Meta Description: [ Prevnar is a vaccine for infants and children that helps prevent certain invasive pneumococcal diseases caused by streptococcus pneumoniae, which can cause bacterial meningitis, blood infections and other invasive diseases. ]
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