Immunisation

Question 1

What is immunisation?

Answer 1

This is the process by which a person develops immunity to a disease causing organism

Question 2

Immunity can be developed by what?

Answer 2

By vaccination using antigens from an infectious pathogen, so creating memory cells

Question 3

What makes a vaccine more effective?

Answer 3

Antigens from infectious pahtogens, mixed with an adjuvant makes a vaccine more effective enhancing the immune response, which are used in various forms:

• Inactivated Pathogen Toxins
• Dead Pathogens
• Parts of Pathogens
• Weakened Pathogens

Question 4

What is herd immunity?

Answer 4

This occurs when a large percentage of the population are immunised which helps reduce the spread of diseases

Non-immune individuals are protected as there is a less chance they will come into contact with an infected individual

Question 5

Herd immunity’s threshold depends on what?

Answer 5

The type of disease, effectiveness of the vaccine and the density of the population

Question 6

What are mass vaccine programmes designed for?

Answer 6

To establish herd immunity to a disease

Difficulties arise when widespread vaccination isn’t possible doe to poverty in the developing word and due to vaccines being rejected by a percentage of the population in the developed world

Question 7

What is antigenic variation?

Answer 7

This is when some pathogens can change their antigens meaning memory cells are not effective against them

This is one of the main reason influenza is still a major health problem and why at risk individuals need to be vaccinated every year