Vaccination Flashcards
What is passive immunity?
Produced by introduction of antibodies
Example anti venom
What is active immunity?
Produced by stimulating the production of antibodies by the individuals’ own immune system.
Natural active immunity is…
The result of active immunity produced by being infected with the disease under normal circumstances.
What is artificial active immunity?
Firms the basis of vaccination and involves inducing the immune response in an individual, without them suffering the symptoms of the disease.
What is ‘vaccine’?
The material introduced in the vaccination and contains antigens from the pathogen.
What are the features of a successful vaccination programme?
Economically available
Few side effects
Means of storing, producing and administrating
Possible to vaccinate the majority of a vulnerable population
What do people hope to achieve by vaccinating many people?
Herd immunity.
What is the theory behind here immunity?
Where the vast majority of the population is immune, it is highly improbably that a susceptible individual will come into contact with an infected person.
Why might a vaccine not work?
It may fail to induce immunity.
They may develop disease before immune response is high enough to prevent it.
The pathogen may mutate frequently, antigenic variability.
Individuals may object to vaccinations.
Ethics and vaccines
Animals testing
Side effects
Majority needs to be vaccinated to work
It’s expensive
