Brady Collins
Vaccines work by imitating an infection, triggering the body's natural defences. The active ingredient in all vaccines is an antigen, which is a substance that causes the immune system to begin producing antibodies. Vaccines contain weakened or inactive parts of an antigen, which could be a whole or partial virus or bacterium. This weakened version will not cause the disease in the person receiving the vaccine, but it will prompt their immune system to respond as if it were the first reaction to the actual pathogen. This is why some people experience mild symptoms after being vaccinated.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Types of vaccines | Live attenuated vaccines, inactivated vaccines, toxoid vaccines, nucleic acid vaccines, viral vector vaccines, mRNA vaccines |
| Live attenuated vaccines | Contain live viruses or bacteria that have been weakened by changing their DNA or by selecting the weakest viruses or bacteria |
| Inactivated vaccines | Contain dead or inactive forms of a pathogen |
| Toxoid vaccines | Use a weakened form of the toxin (toxoid) that some bacteria produce |
| Nucleic acid vaccines | Use DNA or messenger RNA (mRNA) to instruct the body to make antigens |
| Viral vector vaccines | Contain a harmless virus that delivers a small section of the genetic code of a disease-causing virus |
| mRNA vaccines | Provide instructions to make a harmless protein that matches part of the virus |
| Antigen | The active ingredient in a vaccine that triggers an immune response |
| Antibodies | Proteins produced by white blood cells to identify and neutralize foreign substances |
| Adjuvants | Substances that improve the immune response to the vaccine |
| Excipients | Inactive ingredients such as water or sodium chloride (salt) |
| Preservatives | Substances that keep vaccines from getting contaminated |
| Stabilizers | Substances used to ensure the active ingredient doesn't break down or change during manufacturing and storage |
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What You'll Learn
- Live vaccines use a weakened form of the pathogen
- Inactivated vaccines contain dead bacteria or viruses
- Toxoid vaccines use a weakened form of the toxin produced by bacteria
- Nucleic acid vaccines use DNA or RNA to instruct your body to make antigens
- Live attenuated vaccines contain weakened viruses or bacteria selected or changed via DNA modification
Live vaccines use a weakened form of the pathogen
Vaccines contain weakened or inactive parts of a particular organism (antigen) that triggers an immune response within the body. Live vaccines, also known as live-attenuated vaccines, use a weakened form of the entire bacterium or virus (whole agent). This is very similar to an actual infection and creates a strong and long-lasting immune response.
Live vaccines contain a small amount of the weakened live virus or bacterium, which is injected into an individual to stimulate an immune response. The pathogen is weakened through culturing in a laboratory, making it safe to be administered to most people. Once injected, the virus or bacteria grows and replicates inside the body. The immune system recognizes this pathogen as a foreign intruder and produces antibodies against it. When the vaccinated person later encounters this pathogen, their immune system can respond immediately, protecting against disease.
Live vaccines are often preferred as they require fewer doses to provide full protection for a lifetime. However, they require more involved handling and need to be kept cool to remain effective and prevent mutation. They are also not suitable for everyone, particularly those with weakened immune systems or long-term health problems.
Some common examples of live vaccines include those against chickenpox, measles, mumps, rubella, and yellow fever.
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Inactivated vaccines contain dead bacteria or viruses
Vaccines contain weakened or inactive parts of a particular organism (antigen) that triggers an immune response within the body. Live-attenuated vaccines use a weakened form of the entire bacterium or virus (whole agent). Inactivated vaccines, on the other hand, contain dead bacteria or viruses.
Inactivated vaccines are produced when an entire pathogen is 'killed' using heat, chemicals, or radiation. The pathogens in these vaccines are completely killed off, making them safe even for those with weakened immune systems. However, because inactivated pathogens generate a weaker immune response, immunologic adjuvants and multiple "booster" injections may be required to provide effective protection against the pathogen.
Inactivated vaccines are quite stable and do not pose the risk of mutating during handling. They can be stored without refrigeration and are safe for administration to most people. Inactivated vaccines helped reduce morbidity and mortality from diseases like tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, rabies, hepatitis A, and influenza.
Inactivated vaccines include CoronaVac, Covaxin, QazVac, Sinopharm BIBP, Sinopharm WIBP, TURKOVAC, CoviVac, and the influenza shot.
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Toxoid vaccines use a weakened form of the toxin produced by bacteria
Vaccines train the body to fight harmful invaders, such as viruses and bacteria, by causing an immune response. They contain weakened or inactive parts of a particular organism (antigen) that triggers an immune response within the body. The subpart of a pathogen that causes the formation of antibodies is called an antigen. Antibodies can be considered the soldiers in the body's defence system.
Toxoid vaccines are a type of vaccine that uses a weakened form of the toxin produced by bacteria. They do not use any part of the pathogen to make the vaccine. Instead, they use a weakened form of the toxin (toxoid) that some bacteria produce. The body has an immune response to the toxin rather than the bacterium itself. Toxoid vaccines are effective in preventing diseases where bacterial toxins are the primary cause of illness. Diphtheria, caused by toxins produced by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, and tetanus, resulting from toxins released by Clostridium tetani, are two examples of diseases that toxoid vaccines can prevent. Diphtheria can lead to severe breathing difficulties and affect the heart, kidneys, and nerves. Tetanus, commonly known as lockjaw, interferes with the nervous system, causing painful muscle spasms and potentially leading to death.
Toxoid vaccines are considered safe and have been widely used for decades to prevent serious diseases. However, they require booster shots to maintain protection over time. For example, booster doses of tetanus and diphtheria toxoids (Td) vaccine are recommended every 10 years or when indicated for wound management. While toxoid vaccines are generally safe, mild and temporary side effects, such as soreness, redness, or swelling at the injection site, may occur. More severe allergic reactions are rare.
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Nucleic acid vaccines use DNA or RNA to instruct your body to make antigens
Vaccines contain weakened or inactive parts of a particular organism (antigen) that triggers an immune response within the body. Some vaccines contain weakened or reconstituted viruses or bacteria as a whole. However, newer vaccines contain the blueprint for producing antigens (DNA or RNA) rather than the antigen itself.
Nucleic acid vaccines are a type of vaccine that uses DNA or messenger RNA (mRNA) to instruct your body to make antigens. They use your own cells to make parts of a virus or bacterium. The vaccine contains the instructions that your body uses to make antigens, which are unique parts of pathogens that your body recognizes as foreign invaders.
MRNA vaccines, for example, are a type of nucleic acid vaccine that gives your body instructions to make a recognizable part of the virus. They do not use any part of the virus itself. Instead, they give your cells the mRNA instructions they need to make a unique and recognizable part of the virus, such as the spike protein in the case of COVID-19. Your body then recognizes this protein as an invader, and your immune system creates tools, such as antibodies, to fight off the infection.
The benefit of mRNA vaccines is that they teach your body how to protect itself against future infection without ever having to risk the potentially serious consequences of getting sick. They also do not affect or interact with our DNA as they do not enter the nucleus of the cell where our DNA is located. This means they cannot change or influence our genes.
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Live attenuated vaccines contain weakened viruses or bacteria selected or changed via DNA modification
Vaccines contain weakened or inactive parts of a particular organism (antigen) that triggers an immune response within the body. Other vaccines contain weakened or reconstituted viruses or bacteria as a whole.
Live attenuated vaccines are a type of vaccine that uses a weakened form of the entire bacterium or virus (whole agent). They are called "live" because they contain a small amount of the weakened live virus. They are "attenuated" because they contain derivatives of a disease-causing pathogen that have been weakened. These vaccines are closest to an actual infection and thus cause the strongest immune response of all vaccine types.
Live attenuated vaccines can be created by culturing the pathogen for extended periods under less-than-optimal conditions. This selects for organisms that have mutated to grow well in the suboptimal setting but can no longer cause disease in the host. The most modern methods of attenuation use recombinant DNA technology to directly mutate or delete genes encoding proteins known to contribute to pathogen virulence.
Recombinant vector vaccines use an unrelated attenuated virus or bacterium as a vector to introduce DNA from the pathogen of interest into the vaccinee. These vectors can penetrate human cells and replicate within them but do not cause disease in the host. The vaccine is "recombinant" because genes encoding the pathogen antigen of interest and a selectable marker (used for purification) are incorporated into the vector using recombinant DNA technology.
Live attenuated vaccines are generally very safe and provide enduring protection with only one or two doses. However, they are not suitable for individuals with weakened immune systems.
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Frequently asked questions
Weakened vaccines, also known as attenuated vaccines, contain weakened derivatives of a disease-causing pathogen. The pathogen is weakened or attenuated through culturing in a laboratory, making them safe to be administered to most people. The immune system identifies the weakened pathogen as foreign and produces antibodies to fight it off.
Dead vaccines, also known as inactivated vaccines, contain dead or inactive forms of a pathogen. These pathogens are completely killed in a lab before administration. When someone is vaccinated with a dead vaccine, the dead pathogen releases a toxin, prompting the immune system to recognise the toxin or pathogen and produce antibodies against it.
Antigens are substances that cause the immune system to begin producing antibodies. They are the active ingredient in all vaccines and can be a whole virus or bacterium, or a weakened or inactive form of it.
