Question

5. (15 pts) Most immunizations require multiple exposures to the vaccine (i.e., boosters). Why is this the case? Sketch out a graph showing what the total antibody response would appear upon both an initial antigen exposure anda secondary antigen exposure. Use antibody concentration on the Y-Axis and time on the X-Axis. Answer 75 words maximum, beyond the sketch.

Answer 1

In a human body, the immune system is classified into 2 types i.e. humoral response and innate response. There are numerous immune cells having a roundabout similar actions on foreign antigens. When a foreign antigen unknown to human immune cells enter the host it is detected and worked upon by our immune cells that aids in eliminating it. B cells are the primary activated cells that help in the process by differentiating as plasma cells and memory cells. Memory cells hold up the information of the invading antigen and thus on a second encounter with the same antigen the host immune response acts much faster as compared to the first encounter and thus the impacts of the disease are not much severe. Vaccines (boosters) act as a training course to our bodies immune cells without exposing it to disease symptoms. The viral property of the particular organism is eliminated and is then injected into the human body, giving rise to an immune response and thus activating the memory cells against that particular organism. When in future the same organism (with viral property) attacks the host it gets lysed by immune cells. However, some organisms have the ability to adapt these actions of immune cells and thus coat themselves with viral proteins and display themselves as an altogether different organism thus multiple steps of vaccination are implied at different ages.