Vaccines Flashcards
-how vaccines work -different extent of effects on different diseases -method of production and administration -effectiveness and limitations of immunization programmes (includes the herd effect) -ethics of vaccination programmes
1
Q
define “vaccination”
A
process of establishing an immune response in an individual by injecting a harmless form of the disease-causing organism into their body
2
Q
role of “plasma cells”
A
- they migrate from the lymph nodes into the circulation and tissues
- they produce large concentrations of antibodies which combined with antigens to neutralise their effects
3
Q
role of “memory cells”
A
recognizes invading antigens and divides rapidly to form huge numbers of anti-body secreting plasma cells
4
Q
define “attenuated”
A
organisms in vaccines which has undergone some procedures (ie. exposed to heat, treated with chemicals or growing them in an unusual host)
5
Q
what influences the effectiveness of the vaccine?
A
dosage, number of strains of the pathogen and altered vaccine
6
Q
define “herd immunity”
A
- refers to the reduction of the pathogenic reservoir due to vaccination of certain individuals in a population, thus reducing exposure of the rest of the population to the pathogen which benefits the community
7
Q
define “passive immunity”
A
-provide protection against disease through injections of antibodies until the individual’s active immune response is developed
