MICROBIO 1.6

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Questions and Answers

Which type of vaccines is known for providing the best immune responses?

Inactivated vaccines

Live-attenuated vaccines (correct)

DNA vaccines

RNA vaccines

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic that vaccines must fulfill to be effective?

Stability for storage and transport

Economic feasibility for production

Long-lasting protection

Ability to produce severe side effects (correct)

What is a key reason for the recommendation of COVID vaccine boosters shortly after the original vaccination?

The vaccine is ineffective long-term

The virus mutates rapidly (correct)

Stronger immune response needed against variants

Recalls previous vaccine doses

How do RNA vaccines function to provide protection against diseases?

By introducing mRNA sequences coding for antigens (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is a common misconception regarding DNA and RNA vaccines?

They can cause genetic mutations (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which statement accurately reflects the relationship between safety and effectiveness of vaccines?

Safety is inversely related to effectiveness (D) Signup and view all the answers

What constitutes the primary role of neutralizing antibodies in vaccination?

To minimize the chances of reinfection (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following vaccines is categorized as an RNA vaccine?

Moderna (A) Signup and view all the answers

What role did Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett play in the development of the mRNA vaccine?

She led the team that designed the vaccine. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which organization provides a comprehensive overview of vaccine safety and history?

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (C) Signup and view all the answers

In what time frame was the vaccine concept incorporated in mRNA-1273 rapidly deployed to industry partner Moderna?

66 days (D) Signup and view all the answers

What type of content does Vaxopedia provide concerning vaccines?

Debunking vaccine myths (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which social media handle focuses on providing information related to vaccination?

@jessicamalatyrivera (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of aluminum salts in vaccines?

To enhance the immune response (B) Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes ethylmercury from methylmercury?

Ethylmercury is cleared from the body quickly. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Vaccines derived from fetal tissues primarily used for the cultivation of which viruses?

Rubella and Rabies (D) Signup and view all the answers

Why was thimerosal removed or reduced in vaccines in 1999?

Due to concerns about mercury toxicity (A) Signup and view all the answers

How much aluminum is administered in vaccines during the first 6 months of life compared to breast milk and formulas?

Less in vaccines than in formula and soy formula (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of vaccination?

To produce immunity to a specific disease (C) Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes a contagious infection?

It is easily transmitted from one host to another. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which type of vaccine is described as being based on living organisms with reduced virulence?

Live-attenuated vaccines (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following terms correctly describes an infection maintained at a constant level within a specific area?

Endemic (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which type of vaccine requires booster shots less frequently?

Live-attenuated vaccines (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of inactivated (killed) vaccines?

They provoke immunity despite being dead (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which transmission method involves the passage of infectious agents from a mother to her offspring?

Vertical transmission (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the definition of an epidemic?

An increased occurrence of disease above normal levels. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is a common characteristic of subunit, recombinant, polysaccharide, and conjugate vaccines?

They use specific pieces of the germ (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a fomite?

A doorknob touched by an infected person. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following vaccines is based on naked DNA extracted from the pathogen?

DNA vaccines (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which type of vaccine uses adjuvants to enhance the immune response?

Subunit vaccines (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes zoonotic diseases?

Infections with agents residing and replicating within non-human animals. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential risk associated with live-attenuated vaccines?

They can revert to a virulent form (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which example illustrates horizontal transmission?

An adult contracting a disease through direct contact with an infected person. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is meant by the term 'vector' in the context of disease transmission?

A living creature that transmits pathogens to humans. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What differentiates high-level disinfectants from low-level disinfectants?

High-level disinfectants can destroy bacterial spores. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which method of sterilization is considered widely used and reliable?

Steam under pressure using an autoclave (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which disinfectant is categorized as an intermediate-level disinfectant?

Alcohols and iodophor compounds (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of a germicide?

To kill a broad range of microbes including viruses and fungi. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary characteristic of a low-level disinfectant?

It is used for noncritical items like blood pressure cuffs. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What historical method did Edward Jenner use for vaccination?

Inoculating individuals with cowpox material. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about sterilization is incorrect?

It is less effective than disinfection. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT an example of a high-level disinfectant?

Alcohol solutions (C) Signup and view all the answers

What was a significant outcome of historical variolation practices?

It provided some individuals immunity to smallpox. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is not a property of a chemical agent considered a germicide?

Toxicity to human cells (B) Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Prevention Strategies & Vaccines

Vaccines are crucial for preventing infectious diseases
Preventing infectious diseases saves healthcare costs and reduces poverty
The immune system has two components—innate and adaptive—that work together to fight infection
The top 10 medical costs of skin diseases in the US (2013) varied, with cutaneous infections, noncancerous skin growths, wounds, burns, and ulcers, amongst the largest costs.

Disease Prevalence

Endemic: constant infection level within a group
Epidemic: rise in diseases above baseline
Pandemic: widespread epidemic across multiple countries

Types of Transmission

General Transmission
Abiotic environmental factors (e.g. fomites, soil & water)
Animal/insect vectors (e.g. arthropods, farm animals)
Human-to-Human Transmission
Vertical: mother-to-offspring (e.g., Zika)
Horizontal: other human-transmission (e.g., direct contact—HIV, indirect contact—norovirus, droplets—HIV, respiratory, airborne—influenza, fecal-oral—norovirus)

Standard Clinical Precautions

Hand Hygiene: wash with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand rub
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): use gloves, masks, and gowns when appropriate
Respiratory Hygiene and Cough Etikette: cover coughs and sneezes
Proper Patient Placement: separate infected and non-infected patients
Clean Environment: clean and disinfect regularly
Careful Handling of Laundry: take precautions to protect mucous membranes
Safe Injection Practices: use injection paraphernalia carefully; don't reuse needles
Sharps Safety: handle needles and sharp tools correctly and safely

Definitions

Antisepsis: Use of chemical agents on living tissue to inhibit or eliminate microbes.
Disinfection: Use chemical agents or physical procedures to destroy most microbial forms (may leave some spores viable).
Germicide: Chemical agent that kills microbes (ex: virucide, bactericide, sporicide).
High-level disinfectant: Kills all microbial pathogens except large numbers of bacterial spores
Intermediate-level disinfectant: Kills all microbial pathogens except bacterial endospores
Low-level disinfectant: Kills most vegetative bacteria, lipid-enveloped & medium-sized viruses
Sterilization: use of chemical or physical procedures to kill all microbial forms, including bacterial spores

Pathogen Elimination

Disinfection: eliminates/kills most microorganisms, a process applied to non-living surfaces like surgical instruments or equipment
Antiseptic: eliminates/kills microbes on living tissue/skin
Sterilization: kills all microorganisms like instruments, tools, or equipment, using heat or methods like filtration and/or gas

What is an Adjuvant?

An adjuvant is an ingredient in some vaccines that creates a stronger immune response in people.
Adjuvants can sometimes be components of the vaccine itself (but not always)
Adjuvants can cause injection site soreness, redness, and swelling.
Examples of ingredients used as adjuvants: Aluminum salts (hydroxide, phosphate, and potassium sulfate), and Pertussis component (Bordetella pertussis).

Why Boosters?

Vaccines frequently use boosters to refresh the immune system's memory and create additional protection.

How Vaccines Work

Vaccines have varied methods of functioning, such as using weakened pathogens, inactivated organisms, selected pieces (or components) of a pathogen-germ, or mRNA codes that teach the body to fight specific pathogens
There is a broad range of effectiveness and safety depending on the method used.

Vaccine Types

Live-attenuated Vaccines: Use live pathogens with reduced virulence
Inactivated Vaccines: Use inactivated pathogens to stimulate the immune response.
Subunit, recombinant, polysaccharide, and conjugate vaccines: Use specific pieces of the pathogen instead of the entire pathogen.

DNA and RNA Vaccines

DNA vaccines: Introduce DNA to create pathogen proteins that stimulate the immune response.
RNA vaccines: Introduce mRNA to produce pathogen proteins, creating immune response. mRNA is often quicker and easier to create.

How Do We Know if a Vaccine Is Effective?

Vaccine effectiveness (VE) relies on several factors:
Characteristics of the vaccinated person (age and health)
Similarity of the vaccine's target virus to the circulating virus.
Both factors help ensure that those who receive a vaccine produce a strong and sustained immune response
Vaccines must satisfy specific criteria to be regarded as effective, including generating sufficient protection against the intended pathogen, with minimal chance of causing any severe side effects or danger, and protecting against the disease for an extended period of time.

Characteristics of Vaccines

Effective protection without significant danger or severe side effects.
Long-lasting protection.
Effective immune responses across a broad range of individuals
Stimulate neutralizing antibodies to minimize reinfection
Economically feasible to produce
Suitably stable for storage, transport, and use.

What About Aborted Fetal Tissue?

Viruses need living cells to replicate.
VZV, Rubella, Hep A, and Rabies are grown in certain fetal cells.

Do Vaccines Cause Autism?

Extensive studies prove that vaccines do not cause autism

COVID-19 Racial Data Tracker

COVID-19 disproportionately affects Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and other people of color.

Racial Inequities in Vaccination Rates

Significant disparities exist in willingness and rates of vaccination across racial and ethnic groups

Follow Up Resources

Provide follow up resources as required, for example, linked educational websites, social media handles, and videos from credible organizations/individuals.

Why Boosters

Boosters help the body remember how to make the antibodies to fight a particular virus, especially when the original virus mutates or changes.

The Biopharmaceutical Research and Development Process

Drug discovery to FDA approval takes a minimum of ten years
Each phase of clinical testing involves increasing test groups and longer testing times of the vaccine and then potential approval.

The Journey of Your Child's Vaccine

Process of testing and approval for a new vaccine, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) protocols and procedures, and the necessity for volunteers of different ages and health statuses.

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Description

This quiz covers the essential aspects of prevention strategies and vaccines against infectious diseases. It explores the immune system's components, transmission types, and the differences between endemic, epidemic, and pandemic diseases. Test your knowledge on how prevention can reduce healthcare costs and improve public health.