MMG - Vaccines

natural active immunity

immune response to infection, generates specific memory cells

natural passive immunity

antibodies passed from mother to child (person did not make antibodies themselves), short-term immunity (only while child breastfeeds

artificial active immunity

immune response to vaccines, specific memory cells, cells act on their own

artificial passive immunity

immune therapy with a serum containing antibodies, short-term, cells do not grow and create own antibodies

vaccination

artificial active immunity, formation of memory cells and antibodies to the antigen in the vaccine, long-term protection (length depends on type of vaccine)

attenuated

live, weakened virus

live attenuated vaccine component

live microbes too weak to cause disease (ex. MMR measles mumps and rubella)

pros and cons of live attenuated

pro = closely mimics natural infection/immunity, no boosters needed
con = needs to be refrigerated, not safe for immunocompromised, can mutate

inactive whole-agent vaccine component

whole, dead virus (ex. Hepatitis A)

pros and cons of inactive whole-agent

pro = good response, safe for all, room temp
con = boosters required

subunit vaccines

contain parts of the microbe not the whole thing

purified subunit vaccine component

antigenic components of the pathogen

pros and cons of purified subunit

pro = good response, safe, room temp
cons = boosters, adjuvant wariness

adjuvant

pharmacological additives that enhance immunogenicity of subunit vaccines

toxoid vaccine component

targets the toxins released that cause infection (ex. DTaP diphtheria and tetanus)

pros and cons of toxoid

pro = good response, safe, room temp
con = boosters, adjuvant wariness

conjugate vaccine component

targets the capsule of a bacterium (ex. meningococcal)

Pros and cons of conjugate

pro = good response, safe, room temp
con = boosters, adjuvant wariness

DNA/RNA vaccine component

isolate important genes that a host cell can use when replicating

pros and cons of DNA/RNA vaccines

pro = good response, safe, host cells make antigens, causes humoral and cellular responses
con = boosters, ultra-refrigeration for RNA vaccines

recombinant vector vaccine component

antigen genes packed into a harmless virus, causes host cells to produce proteins from the genes isolated

pros and cons of recombinant vector

pro = good response, safe
con = refrigeration, boosters

vaccine hesitancy

delay in acceptance or refusal of vaccines despite availability of vaccine services, context-specific reasons

influences of vaccine hesitancy

complacency, convenience, and confidence

herd immunity

protecting the most vulnerable people by vaccinating everyone else, prevents the pathogen from finding enough susceptible people to continue