PHARMACOLOGY 1
PHARMACOLOGY LECTURES
VACCINES
Introduction
What is immunity?
When our bodies encounter pathogens, our white blood cells create antibodies against the
pathogen. This makes them easier for the immune system to destroy them. After the first
infection, the body remembers how to make the right antibodies and can make them quickly if
the same pathogen is encountered, again, People usually get chickenpox just once because they
become immune to the chickenpox virus. Immunization is the process whereby a person is made
immune or resistant to an infectious disease typically by the administration of a vaccine. Vaccine
stimulates the body's own immune system to protect the person against subsequent infection or
disease.
TYPES OF IMMUNITY
Immunity can be described as either innate or natural, or nonspecific and acquired, or adaptive.
1. INNATE/NATURAL/NON-SPECIFIC IMMUNITY- is inherited by the organism from the
parents and protect from birth throughout life. For example, human have innate immunity against
distemper, a fatal disease of dogs. As its name, “non-specific” suggests that it lacks specific
responses to a specific Invaders. Innate immunity or non-specific is well done by providing
different barriers to the entry of the foreign agents into our body. Innate Immunity consist of four
types of barrier.
1. Physical: Mechanical barriers to many microbial pathogens. Example; skin and mucous
membrane. Mucus, secreted by mucus membrane traps the microorganisms and
immobilizes them.
2. Physiological barriers: The body secretes certain chemicals which dispose of the
pathogens from the body. Body temperature, pH and various body secretions prevent
growth of many disease causing micro-organisms. Example, acid of the stomach kills
most ingested microorganisms.
3. Cellular barriers: These are certain white blood corpuscles (leukocytes) macrophages,
inflammation etc.
SIR KINGS NOTE Page 1
, PHARMACOLOGY 1
4. Cytokine barriers: Chemical messengers of immune cells. Examples include
interleukins produced by leukocytes, interferon which protect against viral infections.
ACQUIRED IMMUNITY (ADAPTIVE OR SPECIFIC IMMUNITY)
The immunity that an individual acquired after birth or immunity which is acquired or developed
by an individual only after a specific challenge encountered. It is specific. The memory cell
formed by B-cells and T-cells are the basis of acquired immunity. Example of acquired
immunity is vaccine.
VACCINE
The word Vaccine originates from the Latin word variolae vaccinae (cowpox) which Edward
Jenner demonstrated in 1978 could prevent smallpox in humans. Today, the term vaccine applies
to all biological preparations produced from living organisms that enhance immunity against
disease and either prevent (prophylactic vaccines) or in some cases, treat disease (therapeutic
Vaccines). Vaccines are administered in liquid form either by injection, oral or by intranasal
route.
VACCINE TYPES
There are four main types of Vaccines.
Live attenuated Vaccines
Inactivated vaccines
Subunit recombinant polysaccharide and conjugate Vaccines
Toxoid Vaccines
Future Vaccines (DNA vaccines and recombinant vector Vaccines).
LIVE ATTENUATED VACCINES: This vaccine use a weakened or attenuated form of the
germs that cause the disease. Because these vaccines are similar to the Natural infection that they
help prevent, they create a strong and long-lasting immune response. Just one or two doses of
most live Vaccines can give you a lifetime of protection against a germ and the disease it causes.
SIR KINGS NOTE Page 2
PHARMACOLOGY LECTURES
VACCINES
Introduction
What is immunity?
When our bodies encounter pathogens, our white blood cells create antibodies against the
pathogen. This makes them easier for the immune system to destroy them. After the first
infection, the body remembers how to make the right antibodies and can make them quickly if
the same pathogen is encountered, again, People usually get chickenpox just once because they
become immune to the chickenpox virus. Immunization is the process whereby a person is made
immune or resistant to an infectious disease typically by the administration of a vaccine. Vaccine
stimulates the body's own immune system to protect the person against subsequent infection or
disease.
TYPES OF IMMUNITY
Immunity can be described as either innate or natural, or nonspecific and acquired, or adaptive.
1. INNATE/NATURAL/NON-SPECIFIC IMMUNITY- is inherited by the organism from the
parents and protect from birth throughout life. For example, human have innate immunity against
distemper, a fatal disease of dogs. As its name, “non-specific” suggests that it lacks specific
responses to a specific Invaders. Innate immunity or non-specific is well done by providing
different barriers to the entry of the foreign agents into our body. Innate Immunity consist of four
types of barrier.
1. Physical: Mechanical barriers to many microbial pathogens. Example; skin and mucous
membrane. Mucus, secreted by mucus membrane traps the microorganisms and
immobilizes them.
2. Physiological barriers: The body secretes certain chemicals which dispose of the
pathogens from the body. Body temperature, pH and various body secretions prevent
growth of many disease causing micro-organisms. Example, acid of the stomach kills
most ingested microorganisms.
3. Cellular barriers: These are certain white blood corpuscles (leukocytes) macrophages,
inflammation etc.
SIR KINGS NOTE Page 1
, PHARMACOLOGY 1
4. Cytokine barriers: Chemical messengers of immune cells. Examples include
interleukins produced by leukocytes, interferon which protect against viral infections.
ACQUIRED IMMUNITY (ADAPTIVE OR SPECIFIC IMMUNITY)
The immunity that an individual acquired after birth or immunity which is acquired or developed
by an individual only after a specific challenge encountered. It is specific. The memory cell
formed by B-cells and T-cells are the basis of acquired immunity. Example of acquired
immunity is vaccine.
VACCINE
The word Vaccine originates from the Latin word variolae vaccinae (cowpox) which Edward
Jenner demonstrated in 1978 could prevent smallpox in humans. Today, the term vaccine applies
to all biological preparations produced from living organisms that enhance immunity against
disease and either prevent (prophylactic vaccines) or in some cases, treat disease (therapeutic
Vaccines). Vaccines are administered in liquid form either by injection, oral or by intranasal
route.
VACCINE TYPES
There are four main types of Vaccines.
Live attenuated Vaccines
Inactivated vaccines
Subunit recombinant polysaccharide and conjugate Vaccines
Toxoid Vaccines
Future Vaccines (DNA vaccines and recombinant vector Vaccines).
LIVE ATTENUATED VACCINES: This vaccine use a weakened or attenuated form of the
germs that cause the disease. Because these vaccines are similar to the Natural infection that they
help prevent, they create a strong and long-lasting immune response. Just one or two doses of
most live Vaccines can give you a lifetime of protection against a germ and the disease it causes.
SIR KINGS NOTE Page 2
