Vaccination Flashcards
The effects of adjuvants on the immune response
• To increase the immunogenicity of weak antigens
• To enhance speed and duration of immune response
• To stimulate and modulate humoral responses, including antibody isotype
• To stimulate cell-mediated immunity
• To improve induction of mucosal immunity
• Enhance immune responses in immunologically immature patients, particularly infants
To decrease the dose of antigen required; reducing costs and eliminating inconvenient requirements for booster shots
What is the ultimate aim of the adjuvants
Activate the immune system to respond more rapidly to infection and for the adaptive immune response to be more specific
Examples of adjuvants
Aluminium based mineral salts (alum), MF59, Monkphosphoryl lipid A ( MPL), virosomes
What is a vaccine
Something that stimulates the immune system without causing harm or serious side effects - provokes immunological memory
Ideal vaccine
Completely safe
Easy to administer
Single dose, needle-free
Cheap - many people need to be vaccinated across the world.
Stable - logistics for storage and transport.
Active against all variants
Life-long protection
Process of the immune response in regard to a vaccine
Pathogen -> innate immune response, recognised as foreign. Innate effectors e.g. Macrophages, NK cells, neutrophils killing non specifically. -> antigens taken up by dendritic cells; become APCs -> communicate with t-cells. -> clonal selection and expansion. -> after it passes, development of immune memory.
Difference in response between the first and second encounters of the immune response
- On first encounter (primary response), takes days to develop
- On repeat infections (secondary response), is faster and stronger
Different forms of antigen
Inactivated protein Recombinant protein Live attenuated pathogen Dead pathogen Carbohydrate
Inactivated protein
Tetanus toxoid
Recombinant protein
Hep B
Live attenuated pathogen
Polio / BCG
Dead pathogen
Split flu vaccine
Carbohydrate
S.pneumonia
What is in a vaccine
Antigen ( in one of the forms)
adjuvant , normally alum , sometimes proprietary
Stabilising stuff (e.g. Buffers-PBS)
Water
How do vaccines stop infection
1) stop entry of pathogen - antibodies
2) enable killing of infected cells / engulfment by - macrophage and CD8
3) boost immune response on subsequent exposure - CD4 and B cells which make Ig