Immunisation part 1

Question 1

Revise the passive and adaptive immune systems

Answer 1

Do it.

Question 2

What are the different types of immunity ?

Answer 2

Question 3

Define what is meant by vaccination

Answer 3

Treatment with a vaccine to produce immunity against a disease

Question 4

Define what is meant by immunisation

Answer 4

The action of making a person or animal immune to infection, typically by inoculation(vaccination).

Question 5

What type of immunity increases in strength and effectiveness with each exposure ?

Answer 5

Adaptive immunity

Question 6

Describe the different passive types of immunity

Answer 6

Can be natural e.g. transplacental transfer where IgG is passed from mother to foetus or it can be Acquisition by an infant of IgA from mothers colostrum and breastmilk.

Can also be achieved by injection of preformed antibodies from another individual – Artificial human IgG

Question 7

What is a live attenuated vaccine ?

Answer 7

A vaccine that contains a living version of the virus but it has been weakened

Question 8

What is an inactivated vaccine ?

Answer 8

A vaccine consisting of virus particles, bacteria, or other pathogens that have been killed

Question 9

What is a toxoid vaccine ?

Answer 9

A vaccine made from a toxin (poison) that has been made harmless but that elicits an immune response against the toxin.

Question 10

What is a subunit vaccine ?

Answer 10

• A subunit vaccine presents an antigen to the immune system without introducing viral particles, whole or otherwise.
• One method of production involves isolation of a specific protein from a virus and administering this by itself.

Question 11

What is a conjugate vaccine ?

Answer 11

A conjugate vaccine is created by covalently attaching a poor antigen to a strong antigen thereby eliciting a stronger immunological response to the poor antigen.

Question 12

What are some of the diseases which are vaccinated against using a live attenuated vaccine ?

Answer 12

Meseales, Mumps, Rubella, Poliomyelitis

Question 13

What are some of the diseases vaccinated against using an inactivated vaccine ?

Answer 13

Pertussis (whooping cough) (example of a sub-unit vaccine), whole cell typhoid

Question 14

What are some of the types of diseases vaccinated against using component of organisms vaccines (i.e. toxoid,etc)?

Answer 14

Diphtheria and tetanus - toxoid

Influenza, pneumonococcal

Question 15

What is the reason for vaccines requiring more than one dose ?

Answer 15

Because it takes more than one dose for everyone to develop immunity

Question 16

Describe the idea of herd immunity

Answer 16

The indirect protection from infection of susceptible members of population, and the protection of the population as whole, which is brought about by the presence of immune individuals.

Question 17

When is the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccinations usually given ?

Answer 17

2 vaccinations

• First - roughly 12-13 months
• Second - roughly 3-4 years old

Question 18

What is an adjuvant ?

Answer 18

It is a substance added to a vaccine to increase the immune response or its immunogenicity

Question 19

What is diphtheria and what is it caused by ?

Answer 19

A very contagious URTI which is caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae

Question 20

What are the typical signs and symptoms of diphtheria and how is it diagnosed?

Answer 20

• Thick grey-white coating at the back of the throat
• High temp (fever) 38 or greater
• Sore throat
• Breathing difficulties

Testing for diphtheria involves taking a sample of cells from the nose to test for the diphtheria bacteria

Question 21

What are some of the conditions caused by haemophilus infulenza type B ?

Answer 21

• Meningitis& Septicaemia
• Epiglottitis

Question 22

What is TB and what causes it ?

Answer 22

• A bacterial infection that primarily attacks the lungs but can attack other organs and tissues
• Caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Question 23

What is the vaccination used to prevent TB ?

Answer 23

BCG

Question 24

What is the problem with the BCG vaccination for TB?

Answer 24

Not-cost effective

Question 25

What conditions are covered by the 5-in-1 vaccine ?

Answer 25

Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)