5.6 Vaccination

Question 1

What is passive immunity?

Answer 1

• Introduction of antibodies into an organism from an outside source
• No direct contact with the pathogen or antigen is needed
• Antibodies not produced from individuals themselves
  -eg. antibodies passing from mother to baby in placenta
• antibodies are not replaced so no memory cells produced so doesn’t give long term immunity

Question 2

What is active immunity?

Answer 2

-Stimulation of the individuals own immune system to produce antibodies
- Direct contact with the pathogen or antigen is necessary
-Natural- infection from disease under normal circumstances
-Passive- vaccination

Question 3

Define vaccination

Answer 3

the introduction of specific antigens into the body in order to stimulate an immune response

Question 4

What does a vaccine contain?

Answer 4

• inactive version of the pathogen
  -one or more types of antigen from the pathogen

Question 5

What are the features of a successful vaccination programme?

Answer 5

• economically available in sufficient quantities to immunise most of the vulnerable population
  -few side effects
  -means of producing storing and transporting the vaccine
• means of administering the vaccine at the appropriate time

Question 6

What is herd immunity?

Answer 6

When a sufficiently large proportion of the population has been vaccinated to make it difficult for a pathogen to spread within the population

Question 7

Why may vaccination not eliminate disease?

Answer 7

• Individuals may develop the disease immediately after vaccination but before their immunity levels are high enough to prevent it
  -Vaccination fails to induce immunity in certain individuals
• The pathogen may mutate frequently
  -Some individuals may refuse vaccination

Question 8

What are some ethical problems with vaccination?

Answer 8

-Testing often uses animals which are harmed but not killed