m Flashcards
What are the two main benefits of vaccination?
Vaccination stops the vaccinated individual from getting ill and helps prevent the spread of communicable diseases.
What happens if a large proportion of the population is vaccinated?
It is very unlikely that an unvaccinated person would be exposed to the pathogen, so everyone is protected.
What does a vaccine contain?
A vaccine contains a small quantity of a dead or inactive form of a pathogen, usually a virus.
What is stimulated by delivering a vaccine?
Delivering a vaccine stimulates a primary immune response.
What do white blood cells produce during the primary immune response?
White blood cells produce antibodies to destroy the pathogen.
What remains in the blood after the primary immune response?
Specialised white blood cells, known as memory cells, remain in the blood afterwards.
What occurs if an infection by the real pathogen takes place in the future?
There is a secondary immune response by the white blood cells, which is quicker than the primary immune response.
How does the secondary immune response compare to the primary immune response?
The secondary immune response starts faster, involves the production of far more antibodies, and the level of antibodies stays higher for longer.
What is the result of a strong secondary immune response?
The pathogen is destroyed before you even realize you are ill.
