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How do flu vaccines work?
Nature News ^
Posted on 05/19/2009 7:05:09 PM PDT by neverdem
The immune system uses antibodies (that is, proteins that attach specifically to the virus) and T cells (which encourage the production of antibodies and also destroy cells infected with the virus) to clear the virus from the body, but often not before it has been passed on to other people.
Introduction
When a normal healthy person becomes infected for the first time with a particular flu virus, their immune system takes several days to 'recognize' and attack it, by which point it will have multiplied millions of times. The immune system uses antibodies (that is, proteins that attach specifically to the virus) and T cells (which encourage the production of antibodies and also destroy cells infected with the virus) to clear the virus from the body, but often not before it has been passed on to other people.
If a person or animal has a repeat infection with the same strain, the immune defences 'remember' the previous encounter, and mount a stronger and quicker attack, eradicating the virus earlier in its course of infection. The infected person experiences less severe, if any, symptoms and is less likely to pass on the virus (although this cannot be ruled out). Vaccines operate on the same principle — that is, they mimic the presence of the real virus in the body so that the immune defences are 'primed' and ready for rapid action as soon as it appears.
TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: flu; fluvaccines; health; influenza; medicine; swineflu; vaccines
1
posted on
05/19/2009 7:05:09 PM PDT
by
neverdem
To: Mother Abigail; EBH; vetvetdoug; Smokin' Joe; Global2010; Battle Axe; null and void; ...
The link in comment# 1 goes to a special on swine flu.
2
posted on
05/19/2009 7:11:12 PM PDT
by
neverdem
(Xin loi minh oi)
To: neverdem
Thanks, dude.
But I'm overdue for the treadmill...
Cheers!
3
posted on
05/19/2009 7:12:07 PM PDT
by
grey_whiskers
(The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
To: neverdem; Mother Abigail; EBH; vetvetdoug; Smokin' Joe; Global2010; Battle Axe; null and void
Note -- it appears that the links under "Related FAQs" (those that try to link to the jounal
Nature) -- are broken.
Cheers!
4
posted on
05/19/2009 8:01:40 PM PDT
by
grey_whiskers
(The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
To: 2ndreconmarine; Fitzcarraldo; Covenantor; Mother Abigail; EBH; Dog Gone; ...
ping...(Thanks, neverdem!)
5
posted on
05/19/2009 10:09:45 PM PDT
by
Smokin' Joe
(How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing.)
To: neverdem
The short answer: you grow the real virus or one very close. The virus is then "attenuated" using formaldehyde or heat to reduce its potency while leaving the necessary antigenic sites intact. The immune system recognizes the new antigens as "foreign" and creates a matching "antibody" that can bind to the antigen. When live virus arrives, the immune system makes lots of matching antibody. An antibody-antigen pair provides the necessary means for other immune system cells to envelop and destroy the virus bound to the antibody.
The critical first step is starting with a good sample of the target virus and successfully growing lots of it.
6
posted on
05/19/2009 10:31:52 PM PDT
by
Myrddin
To: El Gato; Ernest_at_the_Beach; Robert A. Cook, PE; lepton; LadyDoc; jb6; tiamat; PGalt; Dianna; ...
7
posted on
05/19/2009 11:15:11 PM PDT
by
neverdem
(Xin loi minh oi)
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