Immunity

Question 1

What is a vaccination?

Answer 1

The administration of antigenic material to stimulate an individuals immune system to develop adaptive immunity to a pathogen

Question 2

Describe active immunity

Answer 2

Infection or exposure to pathogen/immunisation and vaccine

Question 3

Describe passive immunity

Answer 3

Placental transfer of igG/Colostral transfer of IgA / immunoglobulin therapy

Question 4

What are the 3 types of conventional vaccines?

Answer 4

Killed whole organisms
Attenuated whole organisms
Subunit vaccines

Question 5

Describe killed whole organism vaccines

Answer 5

Target organism is killed
Booster shots are likely required
Viruses must be heat killed

Question 6

Describe attenuated whole organisms

Answer 6

An avirulent strain of target organism is isolated
Can reverse back into virulent form and hence not given to immunocompromised or at risk
Needed to be refrigerated

Question 7

What are the 2 types of subunit vaccines?

Answer 7

Recombinant vaccines
Toxoid (modified toxin)

Question 8

Describe recombinant vaccines

Answer 8

Very safe
Easy to standardise
Not very immunogenic without an effective adjuvant

Question 9

What are the contraindications of vaccination?

Answer 9

Temporary
-Febrile immunity
Pregnancy->no live attenuated vaccine
Permanent
-Allergy
immunocompromised

Question 10

What is the aim of herd immunity

Answer 10

To produce individuals who cannot receive the vaccine