Vaccines Flashcards
What is passive immunity?
Introducing antibodies from an outside source
Why is passive immunity short lived?
The antibodies are broken down by body cells and they are not replaced
What is active immunity?
When antibody production is stimulated by the body’s own response
Is active immunity long or short lasting?
Long lasting
How do vaccines avoid suffering for immunity?
They contain antigens that cause you body to produce memory cells against a specific pathogen which is dead so the disease is not caused
What does the injection contain?
A dead/attenuated pathogen which contains either free or attached antigens
What 3 ways are now available for vaccinations?
-orally
-nasal spray
-injection
Why are oral vaccinations generally not used?
There is a risk of being broken down by enzymes and not being absorbed into the blood due to the molecules being too large
Why are booster vaccines given?
After several years to ensure memory cells are still produced
What 5 things make a vaccination programme successful?
1) economically available
2) few side effects
3) means of transporting, storing and producing the vaccine
4) means of administering the vaccine
5) able to vaccinate majority of the population
What is when there are no individuals in the population with the disease so transmission is interrupted otherwise known as?
Herd immunity
Can vaccinations fail to induce immunity in certain individuals? When?
Yes - people with defective immune systems
Why may someone developing the disease immediately after the vaccine not eliminate the disease?
Immunity levels are not yet high enough to prevent it and there’s fore the pathogen is harboured so they can infect others
What is antigenic variability?
When antigens of a pathogen change frequently so immunity is short lived
Why can frequent pathogen mutations stop the purpose of vaccinations?
Causes a sudden antigen change so the vaccine is ineffective as the immune system doesn’t recognise or produce the antibodies to destroy it.
Why is there being over 100 varieties of the common cold make it difficult to vaccinate?
There are lots of varieties of the pathogen so is hard to find a vaccination against all of them - especially as it is still evolving
Why are hidden pathogens unable to be prevented by vaccinations?
They conceal themselves in cells and live in out of reach places like the intestines so the immune system can’t destroy it
What causes there it be objections to vaccines and therefore results in there not being the majority vaccinated?
Religious, ethical or medical reasons
What are three ethical concerns around vaccinations?
1)animal testing
2)who/how the vaccines are tested
3) Herd immunity goes against the belief of some individuals
4) individual health risks need to be balanced against control of disease
5) Side effects need to be balanced against risk of disease
6) If it is expensive
