Vaccination

Question 1

The 18-year-old victim has sustained a deep laceration to her thigh, with the weapon used reportedly a rusty machete. Tendon, muscle and subcutaneous fat can be seen in the wound. Her summary record shows that she had all childhood immunisation as scheduled, including 5 doses of tetanus vaccine, the last being at age 14.Vaccine tetanus or ig??

Answer 1

If a patient has had 5 doses of tetanus vaccine, with the last dose < 10 years ago, they don’t require a booster vaccine nor immunoglobulins, regardless of how severe the wound is.

Question 2

Patient has had a full course of tetanus vaccines, with the last dose > 10 years ago??

Answer 2

if tetanus prone wound: reinforcing dose of vaccine
high-risk wounds (e.g. compound fractures, delayed surgical intervention, significant degree of devitalised tissue): reinforcing dose of vaccine + tetanus immunoglobulin

Question 3

If tetanus vaccination history is incomplete or unknown??

Answer 3

reinforcing dose of vaccine, regardless of the wound severity
for tetanus prone and high-risk wounds: reinforcing dose of vaccine + tetanus immunoglobulin

Question 4

Routine tetanus immunization sched??

Answer 4

2 months
3 months
4 months
3-5 years
13-18 years

Question 5

What is the valency of a vaccine?

Answer 5

The number of distinct antigenic components or serotypes a vaccine can protect against. Essentially, it specifies the extent of a vaccine’s antigenic reach.

Question 6

What are the Monovalent and Polyvalent vaccines?

Answer 6

Monovalent vaccines:
contain a singular antigenic component, conferring immunity against one strain or subtype of a pathogen
Eg: measles vaccine

Multivalent or polyvalent vaccines:
these vaccines comprise multiple antigenic components, safeguarding against various strains or subtypes of a pathogen or, occasionally, multiple pathogens
Eg: the quadrivalent influenza vaccine, protective against four distinct virus strains

Question 7

What is the Adjuvancy of a vaccine?

Answer 7

It refers to the use of substances (adjuvants) in vaccines to enhance the immune response, rather than the number of serotypes targeted.

Question 8

What is the Efficacy of a vaccine??

Answer 8

It describes how well a vaccine prevents disease under controlled conditions, such as clinical trials. Eg giving a broader coverage.

Question 9

What is immunogenicity of a vacccine?

Answer 9

It describes a vaccine’s ability to provoke an immune response.

Question 10

What is the Viability of a vaccine?

Answer 10

It typically refers to the ability of a vaccine or its components to remain effective or stable during storage and administration.