Topic 2- immunity and vaccines

Question 1

What is active immunity?

Answer 1

When your immune system makes its own antibodies after being stimulated by an antigen

Question 2

What are the two types of active immunity?

Answer 2

Natural- immune after catching disease
Artificial- immune after vaccine

Question 3

What is passive immunity?

Answer 3

Type of immunity gained from having antibodies made by a different organism

Question 4

What are the two types of passive immunity?

Answer 4

Natural- when a baby becomes immune due to the antibodies it receives from its mother (through placenta/breast milk)
Artificial- when injected with antibodies from someone else

Question 5

What are the differences between active and passive immunity?

Answer 5

-Active requires exposure to antigen passive does not
-Active immunity takes a while to develop whereas passive Protection is immediate
-Memory cells are produced in active immunity, not in passive
-Protection is long-term in active immunity (antibody is produced in response to the complementary antigen being present in the body, passive protection is short-term term and the antibodies are broken down

Question 6

What do antigens cause your body to do?

Answer 6

-Produce memory cells against a pathogen without causing disease

Question 7

What is herd immunity?

Answer 7

-When enough of the population are vaccinated/have caught the disease those who haven’t are also protected

Question 8

Can vaccines be injected and taken orally?

Answer 8

Yes

Question 9

What do vaccines contain?

Answer 9

-A weak/ dead version of the pathogen

Question 10

What is the disadvantge of oral vaccines?

Answer 10

-Could be broken down by enzymes in the gut
-Some molecules may be too large to be absorbed into the blood

Question 11

What are some ethical issues surrounding the use of vaccines?

Answer 11

-Usually tested on animals before humans
-Testing vaccines on humans can be difficult
-some people think heard immunity is unfair
-Decisions on who to give a vaccine to 1st