History and Types of Vaccines & Diagnostic Immunology

These flashcards cover key concepts related to vaccines, types of vaccines, their production, and techniques in diagnostic immunology based on the lecture notes.

Who is known as the Father of Vaccination?

Edward Jenner

What virus does Variola virus cause?

Smallpox

What is the purpose of a vaccine?

To train the immune system to recognize and fight specific germs before they can make you seriously sick.

What is herd immunity?

When most people in a population are immune, it protects those who are not immune by reducing the spread of disease.

What type of vaccine mimics real infection?

Live Attenuated Vaccine

An example of a nucleic acid vaccine is _.

Injected naked DNA

What is the main advantage of live attenuated vaccines?

Strong, lifelong immunity (humoral + cell-mediated).

What is a disadvantage of inactivated vaccines?

Requires boosters; weaker immune response.

What does VLP stand for in vaccine types?

Virus-like Particle

How do adjuvants enhance vaccines?

They increase antigen presentation and improve vaccine effectiveness.

What historical method was used for vaccine production?

Grown in animals, eggs, or cell cultures.

Which vaccine involves using only antigenic fragments of the pathogen?

Subunit Vaccine

What does the term 'recombinant' refer to in vaccine production?

Use of recombinant or nucleic acid technologies to produce vaccines.

Describe the delivery method of vaccines via injection.

Directly administered into the muscle or tissue.

What are the two types of diagnostic tests for immunity?

Direct tests and Indirect tests.

What does a direct test detect?

Antigens or microbes.

What is the outcome of the Precipitin Ring Test?

Formation of a visible cloudy ring indicating a positive result.

Define Monoclonal Antibodies (Mabs).

Identical antibodies made by hybridomas formed from normal B cells and cancerous B cells.

What does 'titer' refer to in immunology?

The highest serum dilution that still causes agglutination.

In blood typing, what does the lack of antigens on RBCs indicate?

Type O blood.

What virus does not cause agglutination when antibodies are present?

Positive for antibodies in the Viral Hemagglutination Inhibition Test.

What do fluorescent antibody techniques help detect?

Microbes or patient’s antibodies.

How is Direct ELISA different from Indirect ELISA?

Direct ELISA detects antigens while Indirect ELISA detects patient antibodies.

What changes occur in a positive Direct ELISA test?

Color change indicates presence of antigen.

What is an example of a monoclonal antibody use in testing?

Home pregnancy tests which detect hCG hormone.

What type of vaccine cannot cause disease?

Subunit Vaccine.

What is the role of skin patches in vaccine delivery?

Alternative method to inject vaccines by using a patch.

What does the term 'humoral immunity' refer to?

Immunity mediated by antibodies produced by B cells.

What is the significance of Edward Jenner’s experiment in 1798?

He used cowpox to protect people from smallpox, leading to the development of vaccines.

Explain the separation of antibodies in the Indirect Test.

A secondary antibody binds to the patient’s antibody.

What is the advantage of Nucleic Acid Vaccines?

Safe, stable, and fast to develop.

What does the term 'hybridoma' refer to?

The fusion of a myeloma cell with a normal B cell.

What diagnostic method uses red blood cells to determine blood type?

Hemagglutination.

What does a positive result in the Direct Agglutination test indicate?

Presence of antibodies that clump antigens.

What type of vaccine is associated with a strong immune response but is complex to produce?

Recombinant Vector Vaccine.

What common reaction indicates the presence of antibodies in the Viral Hemagglutination Inhibition Test?

No clumping of red blood cells.

What action does a secondary antibody perform in diagnostic immunology tests?

Binds to the patient's antibody.

What is the purpose of the ELISA test?

To detect the presence of specific antigens or antibodies.

How does the sandwich format work in a home pregnancy test?

Free antibodies bind to hCG and form a sandwich with capture antibodies for a color change.

What defines a type A blood in blood typing?

A antigen on RBCs with Anti-B antibodies in plasma.

What is required for a successful Direct ELISA test?

Presence of the antigen linked to the enzyme linked antibody.

How is the antigen of interest indicated in a Direct FA test?

Fluorescent dye-tagged antibody binds to it.

What are the implications of a higher antibody titer?

Indicates stronger immunity.

What are the components of soluble antigens in the Precipitin Ring Test?

Antigens that form a visible cloudy ring with antibodies.

What does agglutination with Anti-A serum indicate about the blood type?

Type A blood.

What are the safety traits of Subunit Vaccines?

Cannot cause disease; very safe.

What is the function of adjuvants in vaccines?

To enhance the immune response.

What type of tissue is typically used for producing vaccines in modern methods?

Cell cultures.

Describe how the Indirect FA works.

Fluorescent antibody binds to the patient’s antibody.

What diagnostic use do monoclonal antibodies have in medical tests like pregnancy tests?

Detect specific hormones like hCG.