Vaccination Flashcards
What is the goal behind vaccination?
Stimulate memory in the immune system
So encounter with the same antigen protects from disease
What concept in nature does vaccination play on?
Encounter with a pathogen leads to disease, but also protection from the same pathogen through formation of memory
Who was the documented inventor of vaccines?
Jenner
Surgeon
In 1796
Why was Jenner not the true inventor of vaccines?
Jetsy the farmer discovered vaccines before Jenner
1774
Describe the first vaccine discovered
Smallpox
Using innoculations of scabs from milkmaids with cowpox
What is the most effective means of controlling infectious disease?
Vaccination
Which diseases have been eradicated by vaccines?
Smallpox
Rinderpest
What are vaccines?
Harmless versions of disease-causing organisms
Advantages of the specific immune responses induced by vaccines
Prevents infection
Controlling existing infection
Prevent disease developing post-exposure
Prevent foetal infection through vaccinating the mother
Prevent or control cancer
Which cells do successful vaccines boost?
T cells
B cells
CTLs
Describe how vaccines work
Small immune response is triggered upon vaccination
The response is not big enough to protect you
But production of memory cells
The second time, the immune system is poised to act against the antigen
What happens regarding T and B cells following infection?
B cells:
Some B cells become plasma cell factoriess for antibodies
Some B cells hide ready for the next encounter = memory B cells
T cells:
Some T cells become immediate effectors
Some become memory cells
Describe the immunological process following vaccination
- Vaccine delivery
- Uptake and processing by APCs (B cells and DC)
- B cell activation and proliferation, CD4 T cell response and CD8 T cell response
- B cell and T cell memory established
Describe why herd immunity works
If a lot of people are vaccinated, then the disease can’t spread very far
So the whole community stays safe
Attributes of an effective vaccine
Memory and specificity
Activate different T cells
Induces antibody production by plasma cells
Inexpensive
Safe
What are the different types of vaccine?
Live attenuated
Killed/ inactivated
Sub-unit
Peptide
Inactivated toxin
What is a live attenuated vaccine?
Anti-virulent, weaker form of the agent
Comprises of the whole organism undergoing treatment with acid or alkali
Protein coats are still there to cause immune response
Example of a live attenuated vaccine
MMR vaccine
What is a killed vaccine?
Chemically inactivated form of the agent
Example of a killed vaccine
Polio
What is a sub-unit vaccine?
Isolated components of the agent
Conjugated