What is a Vaccine?

Summary

Immunization is the process of becoming immune to diseases through vaccines, which help protect the body by stimulating the immune system. Vaccines introduce weakened or inactivated germs or their genetic material to trigger an immune response, creating memory cells to fight infections. The main types include live attenuated, inactivated, toxoid, subunit, mRNA, and viral vector vaccines. Vaccines not only protect individuals but also contribute to community or herd immunity, helping safeguard vulnerable groups. Vaccination is vital for preventing serious diseases and ensuring public health safety.

Takeaways

• 😀 Immunization is the process of becoming immune to or protected against a disease, typically through vaccines.
• 😀 Vaccines stimulate the immune system to protect against specific diseases without causing illness.
• 😀 The immune system defends the body from germs like bacteria and viruses by recognizing antigens on their surfaces.
• 😀 Immune cells destroy germs and display their antigens, triggering an immune response and the creation of antibodies.
• 😀 Antibodies target specific germs, marking them for destruction by other immune cells.
• 😀 Some immune cells become memory cells, enabling long-lasting immunity against previously encountered germs.
• 😀 Natural immunity can last a lifetime but may carry the risk of severe complications or death from infections like polio, measles, or whooping cough.
• 😀 Vaccines offer protection from harmful diseases without the risks of complications that come from getting the disease itself.
• 😀 Different types of vaccines include live attenuated, inactivated, toxoid, subunit and conjugate, mRNA, and viral vector vaccines.
• 😀 mRNA vaccines instruct the body to create a germ's antigen, triggering an immune response without altering DNA.
• 😀 Vaccines not only protect individuals but also contribute to community or herd immunity, which helps protect vulnerable people who can't be vaccinated.

Q & A

What is immunization?

Immunization is the process of becoming immune to, or protected against, a disease, usually by receiving a vaccine.

How do vaccines protect the body from diseases?

Vaccines stimulate the immune system to protect against certain diseases, helping to prevent sickness or infection.

What role do immune cells play in defending the body?

Immune cells monitor antigens on the surfaces of cells. When they encounter antigens from harmful germs, they destroy the germs and activate other immune cells to help eliminate the infection.

What is the difference between healthy and infected cells in the immune system?

Healthy cells have antigens that immune cells ignore, whereas infected or foreign cells have antigens that trigger an immune response.

What happens after the immune system destroys a germ?

After destroying the germ, immune cells display the germ's antigen to activate other immune cells. Some immune cells become memory cells, which help the body recognize and fight the same germ in the future.

What is natural immunity and how long does it last?

Natural immunity occurs when the body builds immunity after an infection, with memory cells that can last a lifetime in many cases.

Why is natural immunity from diseases like polio or measles risky?

Some infections that provide natural immunity can cause serious complications, including permanent paralysis, brain damage, or death, especially in vulnerable populations like young children.

How do vaccines provide protection against diseases?

Vaccines contain small amounts of weakened or killed germs, or genetic material like RNA or DNA, which teaches the immune system to recognize and attack the germ without causing illness.

What are the main types of vaccines?

The main types of vaccines are live attenuated, inactivated, toxoid, subunit and conjugate, mRNA, and viral vector vaccines.

What is herd immunity, and why is it important?

Herd immunity occurs when most people in a community are vaccinated, reducing the spread of diseases. It protects those who cannot be vaccinated, such as people with weakened immune systems or serious allergies.