By adhering to the local routine vaccination schedule, you (mother) and your child may be protected from some serious diseases*, namely⁵:

*The diseases described below are specific to the vaccines listed in the South African Department of Health Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI-SA) Revised Vaccination Schedule from January 2024⁵.

Tuberculosis:

Tuberculosis (TB), a disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is common in South Africa². The lungs are the most frequently affected part of the body, although TB can also impact the brain, bones and other organs². After being infected with the bacteria, young children have a higher chance of developing TB, which may lead to a severe complication known as Tuberculous meningitis (TBM). TBM occurs when the bacteria infect the brain and spinal cord⁶.

Poliomyelitis:

Poliomyelitis is a highly infectious disease caused by poliovirus⁷. Poliomyelitis mainly affects infants and children under 5 years of age⁷. Poliovirus is transmitted through the consumption of food or water contaminated with faeces that contain the virus². After the virus enters the body of a healthy individual, the infection can be asymptomatic or can cause fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, stiffness in the neck and painful limbs². In certain cases, the virus attacks the nervous system, causing sudden weakness or paralysis of the limbs². The muscles responsible for breathing can also be affected, which can lead to death².

Hepatitis B:

Hepatitis B is a liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus⁸. It is spread when infected blood, semen, or other bodily fluids enter the body⁸. People can also become infected from birth (mother-to-child), sex with an infected partner, sharing needles, toothbrushes, razors, or via the blood or open sores of an infected person⁸. Hepatitis B is not spread by sharing eating utensils, breastfeeding, kissing, coughing, or sneezing⁸. The disease causes inflammation of the liver, affecting its function⁸. The disease may progress to what is known as chronic hepatitis B, which is a lifelong illness causing cirrhosis (liver scarring affecting function), liver cancer, or even death^2,8.

Rotavirus:

Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe diarrhoea in children under 5 years, worldwide⁹. This diarrhoea can be mild, or it can be serious, accompanied by fever and vomiting, leading to severe dehydration². The virus is transmitted when faecal matter from a patient is ingested by a healthy individual through unclean hands, contaminated objects, food, or water².

Haemophilus influenzae type b:

Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib) can cause serious illness and death in babies and children younger than 5 years old². The infection can spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes, sending tiny drops from their breath into the air and someone else breathes those drops in². Different parts of the body can be infected by the bacteria – including the face, joints, bones, lungs, brain, heart and abdomen². The consequences of this infection can lead to permanent hearing problems, and in severe cases, death².

Tetanus:

Tetanus is caused by the bacterium Clostridium tetani, which releases a toxin after it enters a wound through exposure to contaminated dirt and animal faeces^2,10. This toxin leads to painful muscle contractions or spasms. A common symptom is the inability to open the mouth, due to spasms in the facial muscles, which is why it's called “locked jaw”². Tetanus may cause complications such as breathing problems, pneumonia, blood clots in the blood vessels of the lungs (pulmonary embolism), broken bones and even death¹⁰.

Diphtheria:

Diphtheria is spread by person-to-person contact, usually through respiratory droplets which may occur during coughing or sneezing². Left untreated, it can cause breathing problems, nerve damage and heart damage¹¹. For some, it can be fatal².

Whooping cough (Pertussis):

Whooping cough is caused by a type of bacteria called Bordetella pertussis². It is transmitted when an infected person sneezes or coughs nearby and the tiny germ-laden droplets are inhaled^2,12. In teens and adults, complications of strenuous coughing may arise in the form of bruised or cracked ribs, abdominal hernias, or even broken blood vessels in the skin or the whites of the eyes. In babies, complications may include pneumonia, slowed or stopped breathing, dehydration, seizures, or brain damage¹².

Pneumococcal disease:

Pneumococcal disease is caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae, which infects the respiratory tract, but can lead to severe infections of the blood, ears, or brain². In South Africa, it is one of the leading causes of ear infections (otitis media) and meningitis². The disease is transmitted through tiny droplets from secretions of the nose and throat of infected persons².

Measles:

Measles is one of the world’s most contagious diseases, spread by contact with infected nasal or throat secretions (coughing or sneezing) or breathing the air that was breathed by someone with measles¹³. Measles usually shows up as a high fever with flu-like symptoms (cough, sore throat, nasal congestion and conjunctivitis). In some cases, it may cause white spots on the inner cheeks of the mouth. This is followed by a rash on the face, which spreads to the rest of the body and usually lasts around a week². The complications of measles may include diarrhoea, dehydration, brain infection, blindness and death².

Rubella (German measles):

Rubella, also known as German measles, is a contagious illness caused by the rubella virus¹⁴. The symptoms of rubella include fever and a rash¹⁴. The illness is usually mild in children and adults, but can be very harmful if contracted by pregnant women¹⁴. Rubella can infect the unborn baby and lead to a condition called Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS). The serious consequences of CRS include heart conditions, hearing problems and developmental delays¹⁴.

Human papillomavirus:

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections are transmitted either sexually, or through other skin-to-skin contact¹⁵. There are more than 100 varieties of HPV¹⁵. Some types of HPV infection cause warts, and some can cause different types of cancer¹⁵. Genital HPV can cause cancer of the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina (cervix), as well as other types of cancers, involving the anus, penis, vagina, vulva and back of the throat¹⁵. 

Some of the vaccines listed in the EPI-SA routine immunisation schedule require more than one dose or booster dose⁵.