Immunizations Flashcards
Differentiate between antibiotics, adjunctive medications, antiretrovirals, and vaccinations.
Abx: cure disease
Adjunctive: alleviate symptoms
Antiretrovirals: arrest disease progression
Vaccinations: prevent disease
What was the first disease eradicated from Earth and what is the next closest?
Small Pox –> Pollio is next closest
What are the two main branches of the immune system?
Humoral and Cell-Mediated
T/F: The two branches of the immune system operate independently of one another.
False: Neither system can function without cytokine-mediated communication with the other system
What is the humoral immune system’s name derived from?
Humoral = “of the fluids” in Latin –> immunity found within serum
What cells mediate activity of the humoral immune system?
B lymphocytes –> aka B-cells or Plasma Cells
Humoral immunity is most affective against what pathogens and why?
Bacteria and fungi b/c they multiply extracellularly
How do B-cells mediate humoral immunity?
The differentiate and produce antibodies in response to antigenic stimuli
Describe the function of an antibody.
They label antigens and target them for destruction by macrophages
How does the humoral immune system produce a quicker response on subsequent exposures?
Some B-cells differentiate into memory cells which quickly produce antibodies on subsequent exposures
Cell mediated immunity is most affective against which pathogens and why?
Viruses and atypical bacteria b/c they replicate inside the cells
What cells mediate activity of the cell mediated immune system?
T-Lymphocytes –> aka T-cells, CD4 cells, Helper cells
Cells of which immune system are attacked by HIV?
T-lymphocytes (CD4 specifically)
How do T cells mediate cell immunity?
T cells differentiate and recruit killer CD8 cells which destroy infected cells
How does the cell-mediated immune system produce a quicker response on subsequent exposures?
Some T cells differentiate into memory cells allowing for a more rapid response to subsequent exposures
What are the two basic forms of immunization?
Active and passive
T/F: Antibodies are made primarily of carbohydrate chains.
False: Antibodies are proteins
Compare the half life of antibodies with the half life of memory cells.
AB half life of 3 - 4 weeks
Memory cells half life of 6 months to 1 year
Define active immunity.
Person exposed to actual antigenic material (infection or vax) and produce their own antibodies as well as memory cells for response to subsequent exposures
Define passive immunity.
Person is administered antibodies to an actual infection –> no self antibodies or memory cells are made.
What are three broad sources of antibodies that would be administered as part of passive immunity?
People, Labs, Animals (Horses for ex.)
Compare and contrast the efficacy of active and passive immunity.
Active immunity has a slow onset (infection on first exposure) with a duration of several years. Passive immunity has an immediate onset with a duration of 3 to 4 weeks.
Does tetanus vaccine provide active or passive immunity?
Both –> Abs protect from immediate infection and immunization provides long term protection
List the types of immunity from best to worst.
Infection Live Immunization Whole Killed Immunization Split Killed/Conjugated Immunization Toxoid
Describe what is meant by live attenuated vaccine.
Live pathogen particles that have been attenuated by heat or chemical treatment and are no longer virulent but will impart immunity.
What is the prototype live attenuated vaccine?
MMR
What is the disadvantage of live attenuated vaccines?
Risk of infection
They have a lot of contraindications –> HIV, pregnant, people on steroids, etc.
Describe what is meant by a killed vaccine?
Whole or split pathogen that has been chemically or thermally inactivated.
What is the prototype killed vaccine?
Influenza
Define a polysaccharide vaccine.
Killed vaccines that are composed of outer protein components of the pathogen instead of the whole pathogen
Describe a disadvantage of polysaccharide vaccines.
Unless conjugated, the vaccine will not illicit response in children < 2
Define a conjugated vaccine.
Adding a big protein to the small piece of the pathogen
Define a toxoid vaccine.
Inactivated vaccines that are made of the toxin the pathogen produces rather than the pathogen itself.
What is the disadvantage of a toxoid vaccine.
Poor immune response –> requires boosters
Give an example of a toxoid vaccine.
Tetanus
Define immunoglobulin vaccine.
Antibodies derived from pooled sources (horses, ex.)
List six live vaccines.
MMR
Varicella
Zoster/Zostavax –> been replaced by Shingrix (killed vax)
Intranasal influenza
Oral typhoid
Oral Pollio Virus –> no longer used in US
What is unique about the Shingrix vaccine?
It is the first time a killed vaccine outperformed the live version
What are the 5 types of COVID vaccines that have been developed or are in development.
Inactivated Live attenuated Protein subunit (piece of the virus) Viral vector Nucleic Acid Analogues
Describe a viral vector vaccine.
DNA that encodes for COVID protein hidden inside a harmless virus (adenovirus)
Both COVID vaccines on the market now (Moderna and Pfizer) are what type of vaccines?
mRNA wrapped in lipids –> the mRNA gives cells the code to make the spike protein.
What is a disadvantage of the COVID mRNA vaccine?
mRNA is very unstable –> it must be kept cold
Is the mRNA vaccine better than a vaccine that gives the spike protein directly? Why or why not?
mRNA is better b/c the body can make more spike proteins than what can be manufactured in a lab.
