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P A R T 3
Drugs acting on the immune system
■■
Immune sera provide preformed antibodies to specific
proteins for people who have been exposed to them
or are at high risk for exposure.
■■
The term immune sera typically refers to sera that
contain antibodies to specific bacteria or viruses.
CHAPTER SUMMARY
■■
Immunity (relative resistance to a disease) may be
active or passive. Active immunity results from the
body making antibodies against specific proteins for
immediate release if that protein re-enters the body.
Passive immunity results from preformed antibodies to
a specific protein, which offers protection against the
protein only for the life of the circulating antibodies.
■■
Immunisations are given to stimulate active immunity
in a person who is at high risk for exposure to
specific diseases. Immunisations are a standard part
of preventive medicine.
■■
Vaccines can be made from chemically inactivated
microorganisms or from live, weakened viruses or
bacteria. Toxoids are vaccines that are made from
KEY POINTS
the toxins produced by the microorganism that are
altered so that they are no longer poisonous but
still have the recognisable protein antigen that will
stimulate antibody production.
■■
Immune sera provide preformed antibodies to specific
proteins for people who have been exposed to them
or are at high risk for exposure.
■■
The term immune sera typically refers to sera that
contain antibodies to specific bacteria or viruses.
Antitoxins are immune sera that have antibodies
to very specific toxins that might be released by
invading pathogens. Antivenins are immune sera
that have antibodies to venom that might be injected
through spider or snake bites.
■■
Serum sickness—a massive immune reaction—
occurs more frequently with immune sera than with
vaccines. Individuals need to be monitored for any
history of hypersensitivity reactions and emergency
equipment should be available.
■■
People should be advised to keep a written record
of all immunisations or immune sera used. Booster
doses for various vaccines may be needed to further
stimulate antibody production.
Knowing your strengths and weaknesses helps you to
study more effectively. Take a PrepU Practice Quiz
to find out how you measure up!
ONLINE RESOURCES
An extensive range of additional resources to enhance teaching
and learning and to facilitate understanding of this chapter may
be found online at the text’s accompanying website, located on
thePoint at
These include Watch and
Learn videos, Concepts in Action animations, journal articles,
review questions, case studies, discussion topics and quizzes.
WEB LINKS
Healthcare providers and students may want to consult
the following Internet sources:
Information on Australian snakes and management of
snakebite.
Content/Handbook10-home
Link to Australian Government Department of Health
and Ageing, Immunisation Handbook (10th edition).
content/1FC63A2886238E6CCA2575BD001C80DC/
$File/full-publication-myths-and-realities-5th-ed-2013.
pdf
Link to Australian Government, Department of
Health and Ageing publication:
Myths and Realities:
■
■
Monitor for severe reactions and have emergency
equipment ready
to allow prompt intervention
should a severe reaction occur
.
■
■
Arrange for supportive care and comfort measures
for flu-like symptoms (rest, environmental control,
paracetamol) and for the local reaction (heat to
injection site, anti-inflammatories)
to promote
comfort
.
■
■
Provide thorough teaching, including measures
to avoid adverse effects and warning signs of
problems,
to improve compliance
.
■
■
Provide a written record of immune sera use, and
encourage the individual or family to keep that
information
to ensure proper medical treatment
and to avert future reactions
.
Evaluation
■
■
Monitor the person’s response to the drug
(improvement in disease signs and symptoms,
prevention of severe disease).
■
■
Monitor for adverse effects (flu-like symptoms,
GI upset, local inflammation and pain).
■
■
Evaluate the effectiveness of the teaching plan
(person can name drug, dosage, adverse effects to
watch for and specific measures to avoid adverse
effects and to promote comfort, and acknowledge
the need to retain a written record of injection).
■
■
Monitor the effectiveness of comfort measures and
compliance with the regimen.
