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Immunizations Specialist

Vinu Ganti, MD Our Services Immunizations

Vinu Ganti, MD

Internists located in Germantown, MD

Certain invaders like viruses can have a detrimental impact on your health. Even if they don’t affect you, you can spread them to others who can’t tolerate them. Vinu Ganti, MD, provides immunizations at his office in Germantown, Maryland, to help protect you and the rest of the population from diseases like the flu, polio, hepatitis, and more. For more information about immunizations, call Vinu Ganti, MD, or book an appointment online today.

Immunizations Q&A

What are immunizations?

Immunizations, also called vaccines, are an important aspect of preventive care. They protect you from diseases and illnesses that could have a severe impact on your health and wellness. In most cases, they come in the form of an injection that you get just once or twice in your lifetime. 

Immunizations introduce the disease to your immune system in a controlled manner. The vaccines might contain an inactive form of the disease, or they might contain a protein from the disease that your immune system can recognize. When your immune system comes into contact with a disease in a safe form, it learns to recognize and attack it. 

Among others, there are currently immunizations available for these illnesses:

  • Hepatitis A
  • Hepatitis B
  • Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR)
  • Polio
  • Varicella
  • Meningitis
  • Pneumonia
  • Human papillomavirus (HPV)
  • Diphtheria, tetanus, and whooping cough (DTaP)

You get many of these vaccines as a baby, but some of them come during adolescence or adulthood. Dr. Ganti can help you navigate your vaccine schedule and stay up-to-date on your immunizations.

What is the flu vaccine?

The flu vaccine is the yearly immunization shot for the flu or influenza virus. Unlike many other vaccines, you must get the flu vaccine every year before flu season, or before the end of October. Most people six months of age or older should get the flu vaccine each season to greatly reduce their chances of getting the flu. Getting the vaccine is especially important for the elderly and patients with weak immune systems. 

The flu vaccine changes each year because of mutations in the virus. Researchers work diligently to find out which influenza viruses will be the most prominent during the current year and develop the vaccine accordingly. Dr. Ganti provides a trivalent flu vaccine, which helps prevent you from getting three different strains of influenza: two forms of influenza A (H1N1 and H3N2) and an influenza B virus.

While most people opt to get the flu vaccine in the form of an injection, you may have the option of getting it in the form of a nasal spray.

What are the advantages of immunizations?

Immunizations are important for you as an individual, but they’re also an important part of protecting the whole population. If enough people get a certain vaccine, the disease may disappear entirely. Even if you’re not at a particularly high risk of getting a disease, you should still get the vaccine to protect vulnerable populations like babies, children, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems. 

To update your immunizations or find out when/if you need them, call Vinu Ganti, MD, or book an appointment online today.

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