Vaccines & Biotechnology-Based Diagnostics

Flashcards on vaccines, herd immunity, and vaccine types from lecture notes.

Vaccine

Safely exposes a person to disease antigens to develop artificial active immunity.

Herd Immunity

Proportion of a population that is immune to a given disease through natural or artificial means.

Vaccination and Herd Immunity

Vaccination raises herd immunity, providing personal protection and protection for all by eliminating hosts for pathogens.

Smallpox Vaccine

1st true vaccine developed in 1798; natural cases eradicated by 1979.

Polio Vaccine

Vaccines developed in 1953-1955; next in line to be eradicated but continual setbacks.

Resurgence of Diphtheria and Polio

Russia in the 1990s due to the collapse of the Soviet Union's medical system, and Syria in the 2010s due to war.

Live, Attenuated Vaccine

The microbe is alive and can replicate but has been rendered avirulent, providing long-lasting immunity.

Inactivated (Killed) Vaccine

The microbe is dead or inactivated, requiring booster shots for sustained immunity.

Inactivated: Subunit Vaccine

Uses only antigens from a microbe and requires adjuvants to boost the immune response.

Conjugate Vaccine

Involves a polysaccharide antigen conjugated to another substance to boost the immune response.

Inactivated: Toxoid Vaccine

Used to immunize against an exotoxin, not preventing infection but targeting the bacterial toxin.

RNA Vaccines

Introduce nucleic acids that code for antigens, triggering an immune response; examples include Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines.

Advantages of RNA Vaccines

mRNA naturally breaks down quickly, does not remain long-term, and mimics viral gene infection without the entire virus.

Vaccine Schedule

Official schedules recommended by the CDC based on data & research; individual states set requirements for pediatric vaccines.

U.S. Pediatric Vaccine Schedule

Designed to give babies protection as soon as immune system maturity allows (~2 months).

U.S. Recommended Adult Vaccines

Annual influenza vaccine and DTaP booster every 10 years.

Vaccines for Special Populations

Veterinarians, military personnel, healthcare workers, and travelers to certain regions.