Immunology Lec 11 Flashcards
What impact have vaccines historically had on public health?
Vaccines have dramatically reduced or eradicated diseases such as smallpox.
Name the key features of an effective vaccine.
Safety, protection, longevity, and practicality.
What are live attenuated organisms in vaccines?
Live attenuated organisms are weakened forms of the pathogen used in vaccines to elicit a strong immune response. Examples include measles, mumps, and rubella.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of live attenuated vaccines?
Advantages: Strong immune response, fewer doses needed.
Disadvantages: Requires special storage, risk of reverting to virulent form.
What are inactivated/killed organism vaccines?
Vaccines that use pathogens that have been killed or inactivated, such as the polio (Salk) and rabies vaccines.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of inactivated/killed vaccines?
Advantages: Stable product, safer than live vaccines.
Disadvantages: Weaker immune response, requires boosters.
What are toxoid vaccines?
Vaccines that use inactivated bacterial toxins, such as diphtheria and tetanus toxoids.
What are subunit vaccines?
Vaccines that use specific parts of the pathogen, such as hepatitis B and pertussis vaccines.
What are recombinant protein vaccines?
Vaccines that use genetically engineered proteins from the pathogen, such as the hepatitis B vaccine.
What are DNA vaccines?
Vaccines that use plasmid DNA encoding the antigen to promote both humoral and cellular immunity, examples include HPV and Zika (in clinical testing).
What are therapeutic vaccines?
Vaccines that aim to treat cancers using monoclonal antibodies targeting specific cells.
What is active immunization?
A vaccination strategy that induces immune memory through exposure to antigens.
What is passive immunization?
A vaccination strategy that provides immediate immunity by transferring antibodies from another source, such as maternal antibodies or therapeutic antibodies for diseases like rabies.
What is herd immunity?
A concept where high vaccination coverage protects unvaccinated individuals by reducing the spread of infectious agents.
What challenges do vaccines face?
Pathogens that establish latency, undergo antigenic variation, or interfere with host immunity pose difficulties.
