Vaccinations

Question 1

What is an inactivated vaccine?

Answer 1

Involves giving a killed version of the pathogen.

They cannot cause an infection and are safe for immunocompromised patients, although they may not have an adequate response.

Question 2

Give 4 examples of inactivated vaccines

Answer 2

1) Polio
2) Flu vaccine
3) Hep A
4) Rabies

Question 3

What are subunit or conjugate vaccines?

Answer 3

Subunit and conjugate vaccines only contain parts of the organism used to stimulate an immune response.

They also cannot cause infection and are safe for immunocompromised patients.

Question 4

What are 7 examples of subunit and conjugate vaccines?

Answer 4

1) Pneumococcus
2) Meningococcus
3) Hepatitis B
4) Pertussis (whooping cough)
5) Haemophilus influenza type B
6) Human papillomavirus (HPV)
7) Shingles (herpes-zoster virus)

Question 5

What are live attenuated vaccines?

Answer 5

Live attenuated vaccines contain a weakened version of the pathogen.

They are still capable of causing infection, particularly in immunocompromised patients.

Question 6

Give 5 examples of live attenuated vaccines

Answer 6

1) MMR

2) BCG: contains a weakened version of tuberculosis

3) Chickenpox: contains a weakened varicella-zoster virus

4) Nasal influenza vaccine (not the injection)

5) Rotavirus

Question 7

What does the BCG vaccine contain?

Answer 7

A weakened version of TB

Question 8

What are toxin vaccines?

Answer 8

Contain a toxin that is normally produced by a pathogen.

They cause immunity to the toxin and not the pathogen itself.

Question 9

Give 2 examples of toxin vaccines

Answer 9

1) Diptheria
2) Tetanus

Question 10

What does the term ‘valency’ in vaccinology refer to?

Answer 10

This denotes the number of distinct antigenic components or serotypes a vaccine can protect against.

Essentially, it specifies the extent of a vaccine’s antigenic reach.

Question 11

What is a monovalent vaccine?

Answer 11

Contain a singular antigenic component, conferring immunity against one strain or subtype of a pathogen

E.g. measles vaccine

Question 12

What is a multivalent or polyvalent vaccine?

Answer 12

These vaccines comprise multiple antigenic components, safeguarding against various strains or subtypes of a pathogen or, occasionally, multiple pathogens.

E.g. the quadrivalent influenza vaccine, protective against four distinct virus strains.

Question 13

Vaccination schedule: 2 months old?

Answer 13

1) 6 in 1 (1st dose)

2) Rotavirus vaccine (1st dose)

3) Meningitis B vaccine

Question 14

What does the 6 in 1 vaccine contain?

Answer 14

1) diptheria
2) tetanus
3) pertussis
4) polio
5) haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib)
6) hepatitis B

Question 15

Vaccination schedule: 3 months old?

Answer 15

1) 6 in 1 (2nd dose)

2) Pneumococcal (PCV) vaccine (13 different serotypes)

3) Rotavirus vaccine (2nd dose)

Question 16

Vaccination schedule: 4 months old?

Answer 16

1) 6 in 1 (3rd dose)

2) Meningitis B vaccine (2nd dose)

Question 17

Vaccination schedule: 1 year old?

Answer 17

1) Hib/Meningitis C booster: single jab containing Hib (4th dose) and Meningitis C

2) MMR (1st dose)

3) Pneumococcal PCV vaccine (2nd dose)

4) Meningitis B vaccine (3rd dose)

Question 18

Vaccination schedule: yearly from 2 to 10 years?

Answer 18

Influenza vaccine (nasal vaccine)

Question 19

Vaccination schedule: 3 years and 4 months?

Answer 19

1) DTaP/ IPV (4-in-1 pre-school booster)

2) MMR vaccine (2nd dose)

Question 20

What does the 4 in 1 pre-school booster vaccine contain?

Answer 20

1) Diptheria

2) Tetanus

3) Whooping cough (pertussis)

4) Polio

Question 21

Vaccination schedule: 12/13 years old?

Answer 21

HPV vaccine - two jabs are given at 6-24 months apart

Question 22

How is the HPV vaccine given?

Answer 22

Since September 2023 ONE dose is now given instead of two.

Question 23

Vaccination schedule: 14 years old?

Answer 23

1) 3-in-1 teenage booster: tetanus, diphtheria, polio

2) Meningitis ACWY vaccine

Question 24

What is the current HPV vaccine? What strains dose it protect against?

Answer 24

Gardasil

Protects against 6, 11, 16 and 18.

Question 25

Which 2 strains of HPV cause genital warts?

Answer 25

6 & 11

Question 26

Which 2 strains of HPV cause cervical cancer?

Answer 26

16 & 18

Question 27

When is the BCG vaccine offered?

Answer 27

The BCG vaccine is offered from birth to babies who are at higher risk of TB.

It may also be given to children arriving from areas of high TB prevalence or in close contact with people that have TB.

Question 28

Tetanus vaccine is currently given in the UK as part of the routine immunisation schedule.

When is it given?

Answer 28

1) 2 months

2) 3 months

3) 4 months

4) 3 years and 4 months

5) 14 years old

This, therefore, provides 5 doses of tetanus-containing vaccine. Five doses is now considered to provide adequate long-term protection against tetanus.

Question 29

Management of wounds regarding tetanus:

a) Patient has had a full course of tetanus vaccines, with the last dose < 10 years ago

2) Patient has had a full course of tetanus vaccines, with the last dose > 10 years ago

3) If vaccination history is incomplete or unknown

Answer 29

a) no vaccine nor tetanus immunoglobulin is required, regardless of the wound severity

b)
if tetanus prone wound: reinforcing dose of vaccine
high-risk wounds: reinforcing dose of vaccine + tetanus immunoglobulin

c)
reinforcing dose of vaccine, regardless of the wound severity
for tetanus prone and high-risk wounds: reinforcing dose of vaccine + tetanus immunoglobulin

Question 30

Who is recommened for annual influenza vaccination?

Answer 30

1) Age ≥65

2) Chronic respiratory disease (including asthmatics who use inhaled steroids)

3) Chronic heart disease (heart failure, ischaemic heart disease, including hypertension if associated with cardiac complications)

4) CKD

5) Chronic liver disease: cirrhosis, biliary atresia, chronic hepatitis

6) Diabetes mellitus

7) pregnant women

8) immunosuppression due to disease or treatment (e.g. HIV)

9) asplenia or splenic dysfunction

Question 31

How many doses of the pneumococcal vaccine is given in the child UK vaccine schedule?

Answer 31

2

Question 32

When is the pneumococcal vaccine given in the child UK vaccine schedule?

Answer 32

At 3 months

At 1 year