In: Biology
Share an article with the class about vaccination here. Scientists are currently in a race to develop vaccines against the COVID-19 virus, so the topic is also timely.
vaccine term has been derived from the Latin word vaccinus meaning from cows. vaccine/immunogen is an antigen or a mixture of antigens that induce artificial active immunity, the process of generating such an immune response is vaccination/immunization. It is non-toxic or nonvirulent preparation of antigenic material that can induce long term humoral as well as a cell-mediated immune response against pathogens. following are the types of antigens used in vaccines-
1- Whole organism vaccines- It consists of live but attenuated or Inactivated(killed) bacterial or viral particles.
2- Purified antigen vaccines- these are composed of molecules purified directly from the pathogen. they can be toxoid, capsular polysaccharide, recombinant microbial antigens.
3- DNA vaccines/genetic vaccines- it uses the genetic material of the pathogen itself to immunize the individual.
4- Recombinant vector vaccines- in this the genes that encode antigens isolated from a pathogen can be inserted into nonvirulent viruses or bacteria.
The administration routes of these vaccines can be oral, injection(intramuscular, subcutaneous or intradermal), puncture, transdermal or intranasal.