Types of immunity, immunisation and vaccines Flashcards by Amina Qureshi

Why is immunisation important for individuals susceptible to infections?

Susceptible individual now has protection against infection, so has lower risks of infection

eg. cowpox vaccine reduces risk of smallpox

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Which vaccine is given to reduce risk of smallpox?

Cowpox

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What effect does immunisation have on disease symptoms, and what greater effect can this lead to?

Immunisation reduces disease symptoms

Which reduces disease transmission

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What is the correlation between reduced disease transmission, outbreak control and eradication?

Reduced transmission can control outbreaks of diseases

Eventually outbreak control can lead to eradication: Transmission rate of worldwide infection is now zero

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Does immunisation allow acquired or innate immunity?

Acquired immunity

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Define acquired immunity and the 2 general causes of it developing?

Acquired immunity: Immunity developed during life

When immune system responds to foreign substance

Or individual receives antibodies

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What is the difference between innate and acquired immunity?

Innate immunity develops before birth, protects against non-specific foreign substances

Acquired immunity develops after birth, protects against specific foreign substances

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What are the 2 general types of acquired immunity?

Passive

Active

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Define passive immunisation?

Pre-formed antibodies (natural or synthetic) are transferred to susceptible individual

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What is meant by natural passive immunity?

Antibodies transferred from mother to baby

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In natural passive immunity, which 2 antibody classes are transferred from mother to baby, and through what route?

IgA: Breast milk

IgG: Placenta

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In artificial passive immunity, where are the pre-formed antibodies collected from?

Immune serum medicine

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In artificial passive immunisation containing normal IgG antibodies, which 2 diseases does this protect against?

Hepatitis A

Measles

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Which specific antibodies are given in the artificial passive immunisation against hepatitis B?

anti-HBs/HBsAb (Hepatitis B surface antibody)

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Which specific antibodies are given in the artificial passive immunisation against rabies?

Anti-Rabies Immunoglobulins (RIG)

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Which specific antibodies are given in the artificial passive immunisation against chicken pox?

Varicella-related IgG

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Which specific antibodies are given in the artificial passive immunisation against tetanus?

Tetanus immune globulin (TIG)

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In artificial passive immunisation containing monoclonal antibodies, which 2 diseases does this protect against?

Respiratory syncytial virus

SARS-CoV-2

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What is the main benefit of passive immunisations?

Provides immediate protection

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What are the 2 main disadvantages of passive immunisations?

Only provide protection for few weeks to 3/4 months

Don’t provide immunological memory

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Define active immunity?

Antibodies are formed as part of response to foreign substance or pathogen that enters body

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What is the difference between natural active and artificial active immunisation?

Natural active: Antibodies form in response to infection

Artificial active: Antibodies form in response to vaccination

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What is the main substance in an live attentuated vaccine that makes it effective?

Contains viable/live infectious agent with altered reduced/harmless virulence

Will still trigger adaptive immune response, so susceptive individuals still develop immunological memory

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What is mucosal immunity?

Compartments (mucosal surfaces) that respond to antigens that have entered the tissues or spread into the blood

Eg. gut mucosa, Peyer’s patches

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Do live attenuated vaccines provide mucosal immunity?

Yes

Which 2 types of individuals can't receive live attenuated vaccines and why?

Babies Immunocompromised individuals You need to have mature adaptive immune system to receive live attenuated vaccine

Are live attenuated vaccines safe to give to pregnant women?

Do live attenuated vaccines always stay non-virulent after they have been altered, and why is this a risk?

No, they can revert back to pathogenic/virulent form This can cause infection/disease in that susceptible individual who has received the vaccine

What vaccine is given for tuberculosis, and what type of vaccine is it?

Live attenuated vaccine Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine

What type of vaccine is given for yellow fever?

Live attenuated vaccine

Which 2 diseases is the VSV vaccine given for, and what type of vaccine is this?

Live attenuated Ebola Marburg virus infections

What live attenuated vaccine is given for protection against polioviruses, and what other types of virus?

Sabin/Oral Polio vaccine (OPV) Given for polioviruses and rotaviruses as they have similarities

What vaccine is given for influenza, and what type of vaccine is this?

MMR Live attenuated vaccine

What vaccine is given for typhoid, and what type of vaccine is this?

Ty21A vaccine Live attenuated vaccine

What is the main substance in an inactivated whole cell vaccine that makes it effective?

Pathogen that has been killed by physical/chemical processes

Why can inactivated whole cell vaccines be given to immunocompromised individuals and babies, but live attenuated vaccines can't?

Inactive whole cells (pathogens) can't revert back to pathogenic form as they are not viable So can't cause disease/infection

What is the main disadvantage of inactive whole cell vaccines compared to live attenuated vaccines?

Inactive whole cell vaccine induce less ongoing immunity, so need more doses

Give 3 diseases can be protected against with inactivated whole cell vaccines?

Rabies Hepatitis A Polio

What is the main substance of inactivated toxin vaccines that makes it effective?

Inactivated disease-causing toxins of the pathogen

Give 3 examples of diseases that are protected against with inactivated toxin vaccines?

Tetanus Diphtheria Pertussis

What is the main substance of subunit-recombinant protein vaccines that makes it effective?

Isolates specific pathogenic protein and presents it as antigen

What type of vaccine is used to protect against hepatitis B?

Subunit-recombinant protein vaccine

What is the main substance of purified polysaccharide vaccines that makes it effective?

Polysaccharides that have been isolated from bacterial coat

Why do purified polysaccharide vaccines have poor immunogenicity?

They trigger B-cell response but not T-cell response So T-helper cells can't develop immunological memory and activate effector cells if infection occurs again

Which 2 types of people are purified polysaccharide vaccines not effective in?

Children under 2 yrs old Immunocompromised individuals

Which 2 diseases are protected against with purified polysaccharide vaccines?

Pneumococcal disease Meningococcal disease

What is the main substance in conjugated polysaccharide vaccines that makes it effective?

Purified bacterial polysaccharide linked to a protein

Why is the conjugated polysaccharide vaccine better to give than the purified polysaccharide vaccine?

Conjugation provides longer-lasting immunity

What is the main substance that is inserted and removed in adenovirus vector vaccines, makes it effective?

dsDNA with removed replication genes and inserted gene coding protein that leads to strong expression of viral proteins

What is the main substance in mRNA vaccines that makes it effective?

mRNA that is translated in cells to produce target antigen

What is the main benefit of an mRNA vaccine?

Quick to produce

What is the main disadvantage of mRNA vaccines, in terms of storage?

Need to be refrigerated as they are unstable

Give 2 examples of mRNA vaccines?

SARS-CoV-2 (Pfizer and Moderna)

What is the main substance in adjuvanted vaccines that makes it effective?

Substances added to vaccine to increase immunogenicity eg. Aluminium phosphate/ hydroxide commonly used

What is the main disadvantage of adjuvanted vaccines compared to non-adjuvanted vaccines?

Causes localised reactions such as swelling, redness, pain and systemic reactions such as fever, chills, body aches

How are children vaccinations organised so that they get pre-exposure protection?

UK childhood vaccination programmes

Which 2 booster vaccines are given to adults over age 65, for pre-exposure protection?

pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine annual influenza vaccine

Which booster vaccine is given to adults over age 70, for pre-exposure protection?

Varicella zoster (shingles) vaccine

Which 2 booster vaccines are given to pregnant women and why?

Influenza vaccine: prior to start of flu season Pertussis vaccine from 16 weeks gestation: protects child who is too young for vaccine

How can underlying health conditions influence who receives pre-exposure vaccinations?

Adults and children with underlying health conditions are recommended pre-exposure vaccinations As they can already be immunocompromised

If someone has an occupation, lifestyle or contact that increases their risk of infection, are they recommended pre-exposure or post-exposure vaccination?

Pre-exposure

What are the 3 main factors in determining when to vaccinate an susceptible individual?

Age-specific risks Immune system maturity Do they have maternal protection (placenta, breastmilk)

To protect against disease post-exposure, what is the vaccine combined with?

Vaccine and immunoglobins both administered

For post-exposure vaccinations and immunoglobulins, why might extra doses be needed?

Immunoglobulins can neutralise vaccine

Why is it beneficial to give immunoglobins as part of the post-exposure vaccination against disease?

Immunoglobulins have immediate effect against antigens

In post-exposure vaccinations, what is the main general effect of the vaccine on the pathogen?

Reduces risk/attenuates pathogen

If someone has a wound at high risk of tetanus, what post-exposure vaccine and immunoglobulins are given?

Vaccine and tetanus immunoglobulin

If someone has a needlestick injury, what post-exposure vaccine and immunoglobulins are given?

Vaccine and Hepatitis B immunoglobulin

If someone has exposure to rabies, what post-exposure vaccine and immunoglobulins are given?

Vaccine and Rabies immunoglobulin

Give examples of systemic adverse effects caused by vaccines?

Fever Chills Malaise Body aches (arthralgia)

Give examples of localised adverse effects caused by vaccines?

Redness Swelling Warmth Pain

Give 2 examples of vaccines that are associated with causing a rash as an adverse effect?

MMR VSV

Can vaccines cause anaphylaxis?

Yes

What is the rare adverse effect of yellow fever vaccine?

Encephalitis

What are the 2 rare adverse effects of MMR vaccine?

Arthropathy Thrombocytopenia (Low platelet count)

What is the rare adverse effect of the BCG vaccine?

Osteitis (inflammation of bone)

What is the rare adverse effect of the rotavirus vaccine?

Increased risk of intussusception (part of intestine slides into adjacent part)

Define secondary vaccine failure?

Immunity develops initially, with time immunity wanes (immuno-senescence)

Define primary vaccine failure?

Failure of the initial doses of the vaccine regimen to induce virus-specific antibodies