6.1 Vaccinations

Question 1

What is the difference between antigens and pathogens?

Answer 1

antigens are parts of pathogens that trigger the body’s immune response, while pathogens are harmful microorganisms that cause disease

Question 2

What happens when antigens on microorganisms enter the body?

Answer 2

• wbc make specific antibodies
• they join up with the antigens and inactivate or destroy particular pathogens

Question 3

What do the memory cells do?

Answer 3

• they remember the right antibody needed to destroy a particular pathogen
• if you meet pathogen again, memory cells can make antibody v quickly to kill pathogen, so you are immune to the disease

Question 4

Why do you get ill the first time you meet a pathogen?

Answer 4

there is a delay while your body sorts out the right antibody needed

Question 5

What’s vaccination also known as

Answer 5

Immunisation

Question 6

Vaccine def

Answer 6

Dead or inactive pathogenic material used in vaccination to develop immunity to a disease in a healthy person

Question 7

How does a vaccine work?

Answer 7

• small amount of dead/inactive pathogenic material introduced into body (by injection)
• antigens in the vaccine stimulate wbc into making antibodies
• antibodies destroy antigens without any risk of person getting the disease
• white blood memory cells remember the right antibody to fight pathogen
• you are immune to future infections by the pathogen
• bc body can respond rapidly and make correct antibody as if you’ve already had the disease
• antibodies destroy pathogen before it can multiply and cause illness

Question 8

What diseases are vaccines used for

Answer 8

Viral diseases eg polio, measles, mumps
Bacterial diseases eg tetanus and diphtheria

Question 9

What is herd immunity?

Answer 9

when a large percentage of a population is immune to a disease, the spread of the pathogen in the population is very reduced and the disease may even disappear

Question 10

What happens if the number of people taking the vaccine falls?

Answer 10

Herd immunity is lost and the disease may reappear

Question 11

What do antibodies do

Answer 11

join up with antigens and destroy the particular pathogen

Question 12

What do the memory cells do

Answer 12

• remeber the right antibody needed to destroy a particular pathogen.
• If you meet that pathogen again the memory cells make the same antibody very quickly killing the pathogen, becoming immune to the disease

Question 13

What are antigens?

Answer 13

• proteins found on the surface of cells
• Stimulates white blood cells into producing antibodies