Immune response:
The body has a natural defense system called the immune system. This defense system fights against invading germs like viruses. The immune system reacts to an invasion of a virus in several ways. One way is to get the white cells to make antibody against the virus. These antibodies attack the virus and make it harder for the virus to enter a cell.
Sometimes the body needs help to be able to fight off a disease. A vaccination, like the one against rabies, can help. The vaccination makes the body produce antibodies and other defenses to fight off the disease. Children get vaccinations for other diseases like measles, mumps, and rubella.
You can keep your pets from getting rabies by vaccinating them. Some humans, such as veterinarians and people who work with the rabies virus, receive the shots to protect them against the disease. Most people, though, get the shot only if they have been bitten by an animal that might have rabies. |