C H A P T E R 1 8
Vaccines and sera
273
Active immunity
occurs when the body recognises
a foreign protein and begins producing antibodies to
react with that specific protein or antigen. After plasma
cells are formed to produce antibodies, specific memory
cells that produce the same antibodies are created. If the
specific foreign protein is introduced into the body again,
these memory cells react immediately to release antibod-
ies. This type of immunity is thought to be life-long.
Passive immunity
occurs when preformed antibod-
ies are injected into the system and react with a specific
antigen. These antibodies come from animals that have
been infected with the disease or from humans who
have had the disease and have developed antibodies. The
circulating antibodies act in the same manner as those
produced from plasma cells, recognising the foreign
protein and attaching to it, rendering it harmless. Unlike
active immunity, passive immunity is limited. It lasts
only as long as the circulating antibodies last because
the body does not produce its own antibodies.
In some cases, the host human responds to the cir-
culating injected antibodies, which are foreign proteins
to the host’s body, by producing its own antibodies to
the injected antibodies. This results in
serum sickness
, a
massive immune reaction manifested by fever, arthritis,
flank pain, myalgia and arthralgia.
IMMUNISATION
Immunisation
is the process of artificially stimulating
active immunity by exposing the body to weakened
V
accines and immune sera, including antivenins and
antitoxins, are usually referred to as
biologicals
. They
are used to stimulate the production of antibodies, to
provide preformed antibodies to facilitate an immune
reaction, or to react specifically with the toxins produced
by an invading pathogen or venins injected by poisonous
snakes or spiders. Stimulating the production of antibod-
ies to specific antigens with vaccines provides the person
with immunity to that antigen. Vaccines are frequently
called immunisations because they stimulate immunity.
Many diseases that were once devastating or fatal can
now be prevented by stimulating an immune response and
the development of antibodies without the need for the
person to actually contract the disease. Prudent, prophy-
lactic medical care requires the routine administration
of certain vaccines to prevent diseases. The immune sera
provide treatments for specific antigens, toxins or venins.
They are used after exposure to antigens or toxins or
after bites from poisonous snakes or spiders to make
diseases less invasive and aggressive or to prevent clinical
problems from developing at all. Box 18.1 discusses the
use of biologicals among various age groups.
IMMUNITY
Immunity is a state of relative resistance to a disease that
develops after exposure to the specific disease-causing
agent. People are not born with immunity to diseases, so
they must acquire immunity by stimulating B-cell clones
to form plasma cells and then antibodies.
VACCINES
Bacterial vaccines
BCG (tuberculosis) vaccine
Coxiella burnetii (Q fever)
vaccine
Haemophilus B conjugate
vaccine
Neisseria meningitidis
(meningococcal) vaccine
pneumococcal vaccine
Salmonella typhi (typhoid)
vaccine
Toxoids
diphtheria and tetanus
toxoid
diphtheria and tetanus
toxoid and pertussis
vaccine
diphtheria and tetanus
toxoid, and pertussis and
poliomyelitis vaccine
diphtheria and tetanus
toxoid, and hepatitis B,
pertussis and
poliomyelitis vaccine
diphtheria and tetanus
toxoid, and hepatitis B,
pertussis, poliomyelitis
and
Haemophilus
influenzae
vaccine
Viral vaccines
H1N1 pandemic influenza
vaccine
hepatitis A vaccine,
inactivated
hepatitis A vaccine,
inactivated, with
hepatitis B recombinant
vaccine
hepatitis B vaccine
human papillomavirus
recombinant vaccine
influenza virus vaccine
Japanese encephalitis
vaccine
measles, mumps, rubella
vaccine
poliomyelitis vaccine
rabies vaccine
rotavirus vaccine, live, oral
smallpox vaccine
varicella zoster vaccine,
live attenuated
vibrio cholerae vaccine-
cholera toxin B
yellow fever vaccine
IMMUNE SERA
Anti Rh(D)
immunoglobulin
antithymocyte globulin
cytomegalovirus
immunoglobulin
hepatitis B
immunoglobulin
immunoglobulin, normal
(human)
rabies immunoglobulin
tetanus immunoglobulin
zoster immunoglobulin
ANTITOXINS AND ANTIVENINS
black snake antivenom
box jellyfish antivenom
brown snake antivenom
death adder antivenom
funnel web spider
antivenom
polyvalent snake
antivenom
red back spider antivenom
sea snake antivenom
stonefish antivenom
taipan antivenom
tiger snake antivenom
