Types of Vaccines

Through the understanding of infectious diseases, researchers have been able to create several types of vaccines to help prevent a variety of life-threatening illnesses. Scientists develop immunizations using different techniques to treat diseases. These types include: live, killed, toxoids, subunit, and conjugate vaccines. Vaccinations that are the live type use a specific process which when administered will expose the patient to the actual disease, but in a much

A vaccine is a mix of potentially infectious agents, or some noninfectious part, given to build up a resistance (Stratton).

Toxoid vaccines fight bacteria that emits harmful chemicals. Commonly used for diphtheria and tetanus. Conjugate vaccines helps reach the bacteria’s outer coating like a barrier which can protect against haemophilus influenza type B. DNA vaccines is where a scientist can create a DNA strand that can fight against a certain disease. These are helpful because they have helped people with herpes. Finally

Vaccinations/Immunization, allows for individuals to become resistant to infection, caused by a pathogen. Vaccines, either oral or injected, are prepared with a weakened or dead disease causing microorganisms /pathogens. This vaccine is given with the intensions of provoking a immune response to the disease, on a minor level. This vaccination allows for the immune response to create antibodies, and memory cells, so that if infected with a strong version of the pathogen, the body will be immune.

First, how do vaccines protect you from a specific disease? Well a vaccine is “a preparation of dead or weakened pathogens that are introduced into the body to stimulate an immune response”. Immunity is “the state of being protected against a particular disease”. So, the vaccine actually has the disease in it,

A common alternative to the live attenuated vaccinations are inactivated, or killed, vaccines. Inactivated vaccines are produced by growing the virus in a medium and then inactivating it with heat and/or a chemical. Since the virus is inactivated, it is unable to cause infection, even in patients that suffer from immunodeficiency. Inactivated viruses are faced with limitations, however. Only viral vaccines containing the whole virus are available in this form, which includes; influenza; polio; rabies; and hepatitis A (Figure 3). The inactivated vaccinations also must be administered in multiple doses, as the first dose does not produce protective antibodies, but only primes the immune system for infection (Offit et al.. 2002). Polysaccharide

Vaccines protect the body from infection. When your immune system comes in contact with a bacteria or virus, this infection begins to attack your body. Your immune system then has to fight the infection off, by producing antibodies. People who are vaccinated are introduced to a minor version of an infection, but this infection does not cause infection. This causes the

Vaccines are made up of a weakened version of the bacteria or virus, or dead forms of the organism, or in other cases, an inactivated toxin that is produced by the bacteria. Upon the introduction of vaccine into the body, the immune system is manipulated into thinking that the body is under attack and produces specific antibodies as a defense mechanism. These antibodies stay in the bloodstream, protecting the body against actual infections for months, years or even a lifetime.

Today, there are roughly one hundred vaccines licensed for immunization and distribution in the U.S. Out of the one hundred, they are classified as either passive or active immunizations. In passive immunization, antibodies against a specific infectious organism are given directly to a person. These antibodies are obtained from several sources. The

Live, attenuated vaccine: Normally contains a version of the living microbe which is made weak in the lab, hence it can't cause any disease. Because this type of vaccine comes in close relation to a natural infection. The chief advantage is that it can offer lifelong immunity with just one or two doses. Examples are MMR (Measles, mumps, rubella), varicella (chicken pox), Zoster (Shingles)

Vaccinating is the way of administering antigenic material to stimulate an individual’s immunity to a pathogen. A pathogen is bacteria, virus or microorganism which transmits disease to a person, to prevent this from happening or spreading vaccines are administered. Throughout history there have been many once-common diseases that have existed some of which are diphtheria, polio and smallpox. The way these diseases were stopped and wiped from existence is through vaccines, they are a great example of the brilliancy of vaccines. They will be explained next:

Live vaccine is composed of a living attenuated version of the pathogen whereas the non-live vaccine includes only elements of this one. It is enough to stimulate the immune system so that the organism protects itself while avoiding making host sick.

A vaccine is a weakened or dead germ that is injected into the body to prevent a disease. The small amount that is injected allows the immune system to fight back and develops memory cells so it is ready to fight the actual disease.

Vaccines are made of viruses or bacteria that originally cause the diseases. In order to make this viruses and bacteria usable as a vaccine, scientists choice one of the three basic methods depending on the vaccine they want to produce. The first method is using weak version of the virus causing the disease. They weaken the virus by limiting its production using chemical material. This method helps produce small amount of the virus to stimulate the immune system without harming the body. Scientists use it to make vaccines for diseases like measles, chickenpox, and mumps. (“ Weaken the Virus”1,2,3). The benefit of this method is providing a life lasting immunity for the person with one or two doses of the vaccine.( “Weaken the Virus” 9,10). However, this type of vaccine can not be used for people with low immune system .(“ Weaken the Virus” 10,11).

The first step to understanding vaccinations is realizing what they are. It should be made very clear that an immunization and a vaccination are two different things. An immunization is what occurs after a vaccination is administered. A vaccination is the specific process of administering a dead or weakened pathogen into an otherwise very healthy person. As a consumer, it is important for people to understand that there are many types of vaccines in the world, and each kind has its own unique benefits and risks. The three most common types of vaccines are live vaccines, inactivated vaccines, and subunit vaccines. A live vaccine is the one that most people associate with the topic of vaccination. A live vaccine is host to a weakened pathogen that cannot cause diseases in the person it is administered to. This weakened pathogen acts as a teacher to our body’s cells in how to react if a non-weakened pathogen were to invade our immune system. Inactivated vaccines are those in which the