Lecture 1: Immunity and Vaccines

Question 1

What is the job of the immune system?

Answer 1

Defend host against harmful microbes

Question 2

What are some consequences of a defective immune system?

Answer 2

• Allergies
• Autoimmunity
• Immune Deficiency

Question 3

What is the scientific method?

Answer 3

1. Observation/Question
2. Hypothesis
3. Experimentation
4. Conclusion

Question 4

What observation was made during the black plague that relates to modern immunology?

Answer 4

Those that contracted and recovered from the disease would not get it a second time

Question 5

What does “immunis” mean (Latin root for immune)?

Answer 5

Immunis = Exempt

Question 6

What is the alternate name for small pox?

Answer 6

Variola

Question 7

What advancement did the Chinese/Turks make during the 15th Century in regards to immunology?

Answer 7

They hypothesized, tested, and concluded that if naive individuals are given mild smallpox (variola minor) and recover, then they will be protected against deadly small pox (variola major)

This experimentation is called Variolation

Question 8

What hypothesis did Edward Jenner make about smallpox in the 1790’s?

Answer 8

If naive individuals are given mild smallpox (cowpox) and recover, then they will be protected against deadly small pox (variola major)

Question 9

How did Edward Jenner test his hypothesis about cowpox/smallpox?

Answer 9

• Jenner introduced pus from a cowpox lesion from a milkmaid into a young boy.
• Then he exposed the boy to smallpox
• The boy did not contract the disease
• Conclusion: Jenners cowpox (vaccinia) inoculation proved to be an effective means for smallpox prevention

Question 10

Where did the word “vaccine” originate from?

Answer 10

Edward Jenner’s experiment with cowpox and smallpox prevention

vacca = cow

Question 11

What is Inoculation?

Answer 11

Being given a mild form of a disease to generate immunity

Question 12

What does “Naive” mean in regards to immunology?

Answer 12

Not exposed = no immunity

Question 13

How was smallpox eradicated in the western world? How was it eradicated in the rest of the world?

Answer 13

Vaccine was used in western Europe and U.S.
-Eradicated in U.S. by 1950’s

Eradicated in developing world through Ring Vaccination

• Vaccinate everyone in ring surround severely affected area
• Allows disease to burn itself out and doesn’t spread outwards

Question 14

What is Herd Immunity?

Answer 14

Certain % of population needed to contain transmission and spread of disease.
-Protects non-immune by decreasing the likelihood of spread by lowering the overall number of viable candidates for the disease

Question 15

Who were the creators of the measles vaccine and when was it licensed? When was it put into a combo vaccine? When was measles eradicated from U.S.?

Answer 15

1963 - Enders and Katz measles vaccine licensed
1970’s - MMR Vaccine used
2000 - Measles eradicated from U.S.

Question 16

What are the weaknesses present in the Wakefield study?

Answer 16

• Small Sample Size
• No control
• Parents involved in data collection = bias
• All kids sent to same gastroenterology unit

Question 17

What was noteworthy about the language in the wakefield study?

Answer 17

Weak language in conclusion of study even though there was strong language in summary

• Explicitly states no association between MMR vaccine and autism
• Weak language b/c No strong statistical evidence