Vaccination

Definition

Vaccination is the administration of a vaccine to stimulate an individual's immune system to develop adaptive immunity to a pathogen. It is a key component in controlling infectious diseases.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Vaccines work by introducing antigens that resemble disease-causing microorganisms, prompting the immune system to respond.
2. There are several types of vaccines including live-attenuated, inactivated, subunit, and mRNA vaccines.
3. Memory cells generated during vaccination provide long-term immunity by recognizing and responding quickly to future exposures of the pathogen.
4. Herd immunity occurs when a high percentage of the population is vaccinated, reducing the spread of disease.
5. Adjuvants are substances added to vaccines to enhance the body's immune response.

Review Questions

• What are the primary types of vaccines and how do they differ?
• How does vaccination contribute to herd immunity?
• What role do memory cells play in vaccination?

Related terms

Antigen:

A substance that induces an immune response, especially the production of antibodies.

Adjuvant: A substance added to a vaccine to enhance its effectiveness.

Herd Immunity:

Resistance to the spread of contagious disease within a population due to high vaccination rates.