Immunity and immune deficiencies Flashcards

1
Q

Is childhood immunisation an active or passive form of protection against a disease? Justify your answer.

A

Active protection: The child is producing its own antibodies and memory cells.

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2
Q

What is an immunisation?

A
  • Immunisation is the term used for the natural and artificial active exposure to the foreign antigen whereas vaccination is only the artificial exposure
  • Vaccination is a type of immunization, but immunization is not necessarily vaccination alone.
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3
Q

What is a vaccination?

A

Vaccination is the administration of antigenic material to stimulate an individual’s immune system to develop adaptive immunity to a pathogen.
Is a form of active artificial immunity.

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4
Q

What is the difference between natural immunity and artificial natural immunity?

A
  • natural active: means there will be a direct exposure to disease conditions whereas artificial active immunity you are given live-attenuated antigens for your body to form antibodies to attack the antigens
  • natural active: antibodies produced after exposure to infection whereas artificial active antibodies are formed after immunisation of attenuated antigens
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5
Q

What is the difference between active and passive immunity?

A
  • Active Immunity results in the production of memory B and T cells whereas passive immunity does not.
  • Active immunity: antibodies directly form upon contact with an antigen whereas direct transfer of antibody from one person to another
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6
Q

What is active immunity?

A

Immunity that develops after the immune system responds to being exposed to microbes or foreign substances.

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7
Q

What is the difference between natural and artificial passive immunity?

A
  • Naturally acquired immunity is caused by natural exposure to microbes whereas artificial is a result of medical treatment.
  • Natural passive immunity occurs when antibodies are acquired by baby across the placenta or in mothers milk
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8
Q

What is passive immunity?

A

Immunity acquired when antibodies are transferred from one person to another.

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9
Q

Many immunisation schedules include regular booster injections. Explain how these work and why they are necessary.

A

How: To produce more memory B cells
Why: Memory cells are short lived

Since this form of immunity is not long lasting, there is a need for regular exposure to the antigen in order for the body to retain its memory. A booster re-exposes the body to the pathogen to produce more of the specific antibodies and b memory cells.

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10
Q

Vaccines contain dead or attenuated (changed) cells of the disease-causing organisms. Explain why dead or attenuated cells are effective as a vaccine.

A

The dead or attenuated cells are still identified as foreign and retain antigenic property to stimulate the production of antibodies against it when injected.

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11
Q

Explain how vaccination leads to the production of memory cells. (2)

A
  • After vaccination, the antigens combine with some of the B cells in the individual receiving the vaccination and cause the B cells to reproduce rapidly resulting in large numbers of cloned cells (clonal expansion).
  • Many of these cloned cells form plasma cells but some form B memory cells which can survive for many years, and react immediately to produce antibodies if the person is reinfected with the particular antigen.
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