Therapeutics and Immunology: Lecture 2: Activating the immune system:

Question 1

Define what a vaccine is

Answer 1

Activating the immune system to generate a memory response to a known pathogen

Act as immune stimulators to deliberately trigger inflammation

Question 2

How do vaccines protect?

Answer 2

Microbial components activate lymphocyte clonal expansion

Makes millions of different T and B cells- only one recognises each particular peptide or antigen in pathogenic microbe

T cell remain in memory after immunisation
Antibody is long lived

Question 3

What occurs in the primed lymph nodes

Answer 3

Immune responses

The lymphocytes and dendritic cells are found within here

Question 4

What are there three components that make up vaccine

Answer 4

Antigen

Immune stimulatory element

Preservatives and stabilisers

Question 5

What are the major types of vaccines and give examples for each one

Answer 5

1. Live attenuated- polio virus, BCG
2. Inactivated- influenza
3. Subunit + adjuvant- Hepatitis B

Question 6

What is the herd immunity vaccination strategy and give an example of one

Answer 6

Large number of safe vaccines

Protects everyone

Individual protection

At risk immunised

Best example: SMALL PIX

Question 7

What does the pneumococcal vaccine protect against

Answer 7

Pneumonia
Septicaemia
Meningitis

Question 8

What is the adverse reaction that may be shown in vaccinated patients

Answer 8

Transient mild fever, pain at injection site

Question 9

What are the two available immune stimulators other than vaccines and examples of what they work on

Answer 9

Synthetic Microbial Components: example: Imiquimod
Stimulates viral infection
Aldara for genital warts

Recombinant Cytokine:
Family of potent pro inflammatory cytokines

Used to eliminate chronic hepatitis virus infection