Immunisation Flashcards
What are the 3 main aims of immunisation
- Primary prevention - helping healthy people avoid disease
- Interrupt transmission of disease
- Secondary prevention - prevent consequences of disease
When was the smallpox vaccine created and when was the last known case of smallpox?
Vaccine created in 1940s
Last known case of Smallpox = 1977
Describe what is meant by ACTIVE immunity
exposure to antigens either in environment or via artificial vaccine
What is PASSIVE immunity and how can it be achieved?
Transfer of pre-formed immunoglobulins
From mother to unborn baby
From person to person OR animal to person
What injections can be given to demonstrate passive immunity?
- Human Immunoglobulin (e.g. HepB, rabies)
- Anti-toxins (e.g. diptheria)
What are the main advantages and disadvantages of giving passive immunity via injections?
ADV: - Rapid action - Outbreak control - Can be used if contraindication to active vaccination
DISADV:
- Short-term protection
- Hypersensitivity reaction
- Expensive
Describe the process of herd immunity
Individuals who are not vaccinated are protected by having a high percentage of people in the population who are vaccinated
Describe how organisms in live vaccines are manipulated to make sure they do not cause disease in humans
Organisms are put in a variety of animal tissues to specialise them for causing disease in that host
=> less able to cause disease in human tissue, however they can still replicate and cause immune response
What are the different subtypes of inactivated vaccines?
- Suspensions of killed organisms
- Subunit vaccines
- Conjugate vaccines
What organisms can be found in live attenuated vaccines?
measles, mumps, rubella, varicella rotavirus zoster flu
Give examples of inactivated vaccines which contain killed organisms
whole cell pertussis (whooping cough)
whole cell typhoid
What organisms are found in inactivated subunit vaccines?
Diptheria Toxoid
Tetanus Toxoid
What infection cannot be protected against by herd immunity?
Tetanus
What components make up an inactivated conjugated vaccine?
polysaccharide attached to immunogenic proteins
e.g. Hib, MenC
When are vaccines contraindicated?
- Patient has known anaphylaxis to vaccine component
- egg allergy (found in yellow fever and flu vaccines)
- severe latex allergy
- Acute or evolving illness (wait until settled)
What vaccines are given when a baby reaches 2 months of age?
DTaP/IPV/HiB/ Vaccine
- Diptheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Polio, Haemophilus Influenzae Type B,
MenB Vaccine
Rotavirus Vaccine
Pneumococcal Vaccine (PCV)
What vaccines are given when a child reaches 12-13 months?
MenB
Pneumococcal Vaccine (PCV)
MMR
MenC/HiB
What is the name of the document which provides all policies and regulations on vaccination programmes in the UK?
The Green Book
How is meningococcal disease spread?
person-to-person contact through respiratory droplets of infected people (=> close contact)
What is the incubation period of meningococcal diseases?
3-5 days
What are the two age peaks in development of meningococcal infection?
<5yrs and 15-24yrs
Describe the main aims in each phase of a vaccine trial
Phase I - safety
Phase II - Correcting the dosage to be used
Phase III - Efficacy and any rare drug reactions
Phase IV - Post marketing surveillance
What can be distributed as part of Phase IV in a vaccine trial if patients are allergic to a specific vaccine?
Yellow Card Scheme
warns of allergy to vaccine
After what age is the rotavirus vaccine no longer given?
Not given after 21 weeks due to safety issues
What is meant by the Reproductive Number R0?
Number of cases that an individual case of infection can give rise to
The shingles vaccine is only offered to adults. TRUE/FALSE?
TRUE
What is the risk of giving vaccines before the age of 1?
Many babies acquire passive immunity from antibodies
through the mother’s placenta
=> any vaccine given can potentially interfere and not be as effective
If there is suspicion of certain infectious diseases in patients, you should still wait for lab confirmation every time before notifying public health. TRUE/FALSE?
FALSE
certain diseases warrant no waiting as they need to be acted upon quickly
