Final answer:
Vaccines are given to prevent viruses from growing in the body by training the immune system to recognize and fight off future infections caused by viruses. Unlike other medications like diuretics, antifungals, and antibiotics, vaccines are specifically designed to prevent viral infections before they occur.
Step-by-step explanation:
The substances given to prevent viruses from growing in the body are vaccines. Unlike diuretics, antifungals, and antibiotics which serve other medical purposes, vaccines specifically target viral infections. By introducing a form of the virus, either weakened, killed, or as a subunit, vaccines train the immune system to recognize and combat the actual virus without causing the disease.
Vaccines are designed to elicit a protective immune response that guards against future infections by the same virus. This preemptive measure is vital for containing outbreaks and protecting public health. For instance, vaccines have been crucial in the fight against diseases like influenza and HIV, even though antiviral drugs are available for treatment after the infection has occurred. While antiviral drugs can control symptoms and viral replication, they cannot completely eradicate the virus from the body. Hence, vaccination is the primary method for preventing viral diseases before they start.
Moreover, the development of vaccinations has a long history with the term 'vaccine' originating from Edward Jenner's groundbreaking work using cowpox to build immunity against smallpox. Today, vaccines remain one of the most successful public health measures for controlling and eradicating viral diseases.