We often fear radiation due to its negative effects, especially in the long run. Energy sparked by radiation can destroy cells and hamper the organs. However, negative effects aside, radiation has also been proven to be beneficial to our health.
One of the ways radiation is used for human health is its usage to determine a vaccine’s ingredients in the immunisation process. Immunisation is commonly done repeatedly with weakened parasites to reduce the parasites’ pathogenic effects to the body and drive the antibody to fight the parasites.
Researches have been done to prove radiation’s ability to produce immunogen (the substance that drives the body’s immunity to fight against diseases and parasites), namely the gamma radiation that is commonly used to weaken parasites. With a proper dose of radiation, immunogen will be produced to fight the parasites infection later on when an infection caused by the parasites surfaces.
Text by Rezky Zakiri
Stock photos from fanrto.com
Source(s):
- Hoffman, S. L., Goh, M. L., Luke, T. C. (2002). Protection of Humans Against Malaria by Immunization With Radiation-attenuated Plasmodium falciparum. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 185 : 1155 – 64
- Kisnanto, T. and Syaifudin, M. (2013). Uji Efektivitas Iradiasi Gamma Dalam Melemahkan Plasmodium berghei Melalui Inkorporasi H-3 Hipoksantin.Prosiding pertemuan dan presentasi ilmiah fungsional pengembangan teknologi nuklir VIII, PTKMR – BATAN, ISSN: 1978 – 9971
- Badan Tenaga Nuklir Nasional.2005. Pengenalan Radiasi. http://www.batan.go.id/pusdiklat/elearning/proteksiradiasi/pengenalan_radiasi/2-3.htm