module 02 section 03 (vaccine efficacy)

Question 1

what is the only disease that has been officially eradicated?

Answer 1

small pox

Question 2

define “pandemic”

Answer 2

the worldwide spread of a new disease

Question 3

what are the two key viral glycoproteins of the influenza virus?

Answer 3

(1) hemagglutinin (HA)

2) neuraminidase (NA

Question 4

what is the role of hemagglutinin?

Answer 4

allows attachment of the virus to cells

Question 5

what is the role of neuraminidase?

Answer 5

helps new virus escape from host cells

Question 6

describe the genome of influenza

Answer 6

has 8 segments of ssRNA, each associated with proteins and an RNA polymerase

Question 7

what is the principle means of reducing/counteracting the influenza mortality and morbidity burden in our community?

Answer 7

the influenza vaccine (flu shot)

Question 8

what is unique about the influenza vaccine?

Answer 8

the virus is always evolving/changing so the vaccine requires continuous monitoring and reformation

Question 9

what is the valency of the flu shot and what is it composed of?

Answer 9

tri- or quadrivalent vaccine composed of the most prevalent influenza types from the previous year

Question 10

what are the two principal reasons to get the flu shot?

Answer 10

(1) immune response dampens over time

2) influenza mutates (antigenic shift and drift

Question 11

what does shift/drift of the influenza virus allow for?

Answer 11

allows the virus to evade pre-existing immunity of the host

Question 12

can the influenza virus create an epidemic each year? why or why not?

Answer 12

yes - bc constantly changes

Question 13

when does antigenic shift occur?

Answer 13

occurs when different types of influenza virus infect a single cell

Question 14

explain what antigenic shift is

Answer 14

new combinations of HA/NA proteins can be created when RNA genome segments are swapped between various types of influenza viruses in a single infected cell

Question 15

what type of resistance do people tend to have towards these new combinations (as a result of antigenic shift)?

Answer 15

due to rapid/drastic changes people tend to have little to no resistance against the new combination

Question 16

when does antigenic drift occur?

Answer 16

occurs when the virus accumulates various point mutations in its genome

Question 17

explain how antigenic drift can occur

Answer 17

the adaptive immune system does not recognize the newly mutated HA/NA proteins and the virus can escape the immune response

Question 18

antigenic drift is responsible for what?

Answer 18

the changing flu vaccine formulation every year

Question 19

what type of antibody typically blocks the influenza virus? explain how these function

Answer 19

• neutralizing antibodies - block to the influenza cell receptors that allow the virus to bind to host cells - blocking its propogation into host cells
• these are the antibodies that are blocked by shift

Question 20

when travelling to Cuba, it is recommended that you get vaccinated against _______?

Answer 20

hepatitis A and B

Question 21

when travelling to Brazil, it is recommended that you get vaccinated against _______?

Answer 21

yellow fever

Question 22

when travelling to Argentina, it is recommended that you get vaccinated against _______?

Answer 22

hepatitis A

Question 23

when travelling to Niger, it is recommended that you get vaccinated against _______?

Answer 23

yellow fever

Question 24

when travelling to the Democratic Republic of Congo, it is recommended that you get vaccinated against _______?

Answer 24

polio

Question 25

when travelling to Israel, it is recommended that you get vaccinated against _______?

Answer 25

hepatitis A

Question 26

when travelling to Syria, it is recommended that you get vaccinated against _______?

Answer 26

polio

Question 27

when travelling to Mongolia, it is recommended that you get vaccinated against _______?

Answer 27

typhoid

Question 28

when travelling to Indonesia, it is recommended that you get vaccinated against _______?

Answer 28

japanese encephalitis

Question 29

what are exceptions to getting common vaccines? (7)

Answer 29

age, pregnant, weak immune system, have medications/cancer treatment, removed thymus, currently sick, potential allergy to the vaccine contents, etc.

Question 30

overview: what is the basic principle behind vaccines?

Answer 30

vaccines produce protections against infections by stimulating the development of long-lived effector cells and memory cells

Question 31

(overview)

antigens may be: (type of substance?)

Answer 31

sugars, lipids, carbs, proteins, nucelic acids

Question 32

what is the fundamental reason for vaccines?

Answer 32

herd immunity