Vaccinations + Immunity

Define Immunity

The ability of an organism to protect itself against an infectious pathogenic agent.

Explain Active immunity

Involves the organism producing the antibodies and memory itself, due to exposure to a pathogen or a vaccine.

Explain Passive immunity

Involves the acquisition of antibodies from an external source and hence not producing antibodies.

Define Vaccine

A product that produces immunity through the stimulation of the production of antibodies.

Explain live attenuated vaccines

These vaccines contain weakened forms of the virus or bacteria that stimulate an immune response without causing disease.

Explain inactivated vaccines

These vaccines are made from viruses or bacteria that have been killed or inactivated, thus unable to cause disease but still able to provoke an immune response.

Explain toxoid vaccines

These vaccines are made from toxins produced by bacteria that have been inactivated to stimulate an immune response without causing disease.

Explain component vaccines

These vaccines include purified pieces of the virus or bacteria, such as proteins or sugars, to elicit an immune response without using live pathogens.

Explain Immunisation

What happens in your body after the vaccine. Stimulates the body’s immune system to recognise the disease quickly.

Define Herd Immunity

Protecting a whole community from disease by immunizing a critical mass of it population.

Immunisation increases….

Herd immunity