Principles of Immunisation

Question 1

What is active immunity?

Answer 1

When the body is exposed to antigens and must make its own antibodies to respond to them.

Question 2

What is passive immunity?

Answer 2

When pre-made antibodies are given to the body.

Question 3

What are the draw backs of active immunity, compared with passive immunity?

Answer 3

You do not get the response as fast.

Question 4

But why is active immunity better than passive immunity?

Answer 4

The bodies immune response is actually stimulated. It’s own antibodies are produced, as well as immunological memory.

Question 5

Is passive immunity considered to last long term or short term?

Answer 5

Short term.

Question 6

How do we naturally acquire passive immunity?

Answer 6

Mothers milk and via the placenta.

Question 7

How do we naturally acquire active immunity?

Answer 7

The disease getting us.

Question 8

How do we artificially acquire immunity?

Answer 8

Vaccines!

Question 9

What are live virulent vaccines?

Answer 9

NOT REAL - as they would be too dangerous.

Question 10

what are live attenuated vaccines?

Answer 10

vaccine with weakened pathogen.

Question 11

What are the benefits of live attenuated vaccines?

Answer 11

Stimulate immune response.

Provide lifelong protection.

Question 12

What are the cons of live attenuated vaccines?

Answer 12

They could return to their virulent form and cause disease.
Cannot be used into immunosuppressed patients.
Must be refrigerated.
Hard to make for bacteria.

Question 13

What vaccines are live attenuated?

Answer 13

MMR, BCG.

Question 14

What are the pros of inactivated viruses?

Answer 14

They are safer.

They do not require refrigeration.

Question 15

What are the cons of inactivated viruses?

Answer 15

They stimulate a weaker immune response.

They may require a booster.

Question 16

Give some examples of inactivated viruses?

Answer 16

Rabies, Hep A, Typhoid.

Question 17

What are acellular vaccines?

Answer 17

vaccines that contain only the antigenic part of the pathogen.

Question 18

what are the pros and the cons of acellular vaccines?

Answer 18

Pros - can be used in immunocompromised patients.

Cons - not that strong - will need a booster

Question 19

What is a toxoid vaccine? Is it safe?

Answer 19

Toxoid vaccines are made when bacterial toxin is the main cause of illness. Toxin in inactivated - body learns how to respond to the actual toxin by producing antibodies. It is safe.

Question 20

Give some examples of toxoid vaccines.

Answer 20

Tetanus, Diphtheria.

Question 21

Give an example of when a related organism’s vaccine is used for an organism?

Answer 21

BCG used for leprosy.

Question 22

What is a subunit vaccine?

Answer 22

A vaccine that uses antigens that best stimulate the immune system.

Question 23

What does a conjugate vaccine do?

Answer 23

It makes the immune system recognise the polysaccharide bacterial coat (often used to disguise bacterial antigens), and fight against it, by linking it with antigen/ toxin.

Question 24

Could a DNA vaccine cause the disease?

Answer 24

Nooooooooo

Question 25

What are some situations in which you may not be able to vaccinate a patient; short term situations and long term situations?

Answer 25

Short term - illness
pregnancy

Long term - Allergy
Immunocompromised.

Question 26

What is herd immunity?

Answer 26

The more people in the community who are vaccinated against a disease and unable to spread it - means that more people who are unvaccinated will also not get the disease.