vaccinations

• What are pathogens?

  Microbes that cause diseases
• What do vaccines introduce into the body?

  A dead or altered form of a pathogen
• What do the introduced pathogens in vaccines contain?

  A specific antigen
• What is triggered by the introduction of a specific antigen?

  An immune response
• How do vaccines work?

  • A dead or inactive pathogen is injected
  • Target antigens are introduced to the body
  • Lymphocytes produce complementary antibodies
  • Antibodies clump antigens together
  • Phagocytes engulf and remove the pathogen
  • Memory cells remain to produce specific antibodies
• What do memory cells do after vaccination?

  Produce specific antibodies to the antigen
• How do memory cells respond to a real pathogen infection?

  Release specific antibodies faster
• What is the peak time for antibody levels during a primary infection?

  Around 10 days
• What is the primary immune response?

  Response when first exposed to a pathogen
• What happens during a secondary immune response?

  White blood cells respond much more quickly
• What is immunity?

  Protection against a specific disease
• What is herd immunity?

  Protection of a population through vaccination
• What happens if vaccination rates drop in a population?

  Increased risk of mass infection
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of vaccination?

  Advantages:

  • Diseases become rare (e.g., polio, measles)
  • Epidemics can be prevented

  
  

  Disadvantages:

  • Vaccines may not always provide immunity
  • Possible side effects (e.g., swelling, seizures)