Immunisation is the process of administering a vaccine to a person in order to help them develop immunity to a particular disease. Vaccines contain weakened or dead forms of the disease-causing agents, which stimulate the body's immune system to produce antibodies to fight the disease. Immunisation is one of the most effective ways to prevent infectious diseases and can help protect individuals, families and communities. In most countries, immunisation is a routine part of childhood healthcare, and it is recommended for everyone from infants to the elderly. The word “immunisation” can be pronounced in many different ways, depending on the speaker’s native language and regional dialect. Generally, the word is pronounced “im-yoo-nuh-ZAY-shun.”