Principles of Immunisation Flashcards
What is active immunity?
When the body is exposed to antigens and must make its own antibodies to respond to them.
What is passive immunity?
When pre-made antibodies are given to the body.
What are the draw backs of active immunity, compared with passive immunity?
You do not get the response as fast.
But why is active immunity better than passive immunity?
The bodies immune response is actually stimulated. It’s own antibodies are produced, as well as immunological memory.
Is passive immunity considered to last long term or short term?
Short term.
How do we naturally acquire passive immunity?
Mothers milk and via the placenta.
How do we naturally acquire active immunity?
The disease getting us.
How do we artificially acquire immunity?
Vaccines!
What are live virulent vaccines?
NOT REAL - as they would be too dangerous.
what are live attenuated vaccines?
vaccine with weakened pathogen.
What are the benefits of live attenuated vaccines?
Stimulate immune response.
Provide lifelong protection.
What are the cons of live attenuated vaccines?
They could return to their virulent form and cause disease.
Cannot be used into immunosuppressed patients.
Must be refrigerated.
Hard to make for bacteria.
What vaccines are live attenuated?
MMR, BCG.
What are the pros of inactivated viruses?
They are safer.
They do not require refrigeration.
What are the cons of inactivated viruses?
They stimulate a weaker immune response.
They may require a booster.
Give some examples of inactivated viruses?
Rabies, Hep A, Typhoid.
What are acellular vaccines?
vaccines that contain only the antigenic part of the pathogen.
what are the pros and the cons of acellular vaccines?
Pros - can be used in immunocompromised patients.
Cons - not that strong - will need a booster
What is a toxoid vaccine? Is it safe?
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.
Give some examples of toxoid vaccines.
Tetanus, Diphtheria.
Give an example of when a related organism’s vaccine is used for an organism?
BCG used for leprosy.
What is a subunit vaccine?
A vaccine that uses antigens that best stimulate the immune system.
What does a conjugate vaccine do?
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.
Could a DNA vaccine cause the disease?
Nooooooooo
What are some situations in which you may not be able to vaccinate a patient; short term situations and long term situations?
Short term - illness
pregnancy
Long term - Allergy
Immunocompromised.
What is herd immunity?
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.
