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Introduction to the lesson
We learned in the previous lesson about primary and secondary responses. Because the memory cells remain in your bloodstream, once you have had a disease such as measles or chicken pox you will not get it again. You become immune to it. This is only one kind of immunity, however. Immunity can also be passed on, for instance, through vaccines or from a mother to her baby through breast-milk. In this lesson, we will study the different types of immunity and how each is gained.
Active and passive immunity
Read the section "Active and passive immunity" p.232-234.
Learning Activity 1
Answer the following questions in your exercise book.
- Give an example of:
- Natural Active Immunity
- Natural Passive Immunity
- Artificial Passive Immunity
- Artificial Active Immunity
- What is the difference between active and passive immunity?
- What is the difference between artificial and natural immunity?
- Why is an antitoxin useful? Why does it not last very long?
- Explain why antibodies from a mother in breast milk or across the placenta is considered to be a natural form of passive immunity.
- Answer Questions 11.13-11.15 on p.233.
Vaccines
Read the section "Vaccines" on p.233-236 of your text book.
Learning Activity 2
Answer the following questions in your exercise book.
- If you go to a pharmacist for a vaccination, you will find that some vaccinations are called "dead" vaccinations and others are called "live" vaccinations. In a "dead" vaccine, does the vaccine contain antigens or antibodies?
- List and explain four problems with vaccines.
- What is herd immunity? Why is it important?
- Why is it difficult to develop an effective vaccine for diseases such as sleeping sickness and the common flu?
- Answer Questions 11.16-11.18 on p.235.
- List and explain some reasons why the WHO was able to eradicate smallpox.
- Answer Question 11.19 on p.236.
- During the early months of 2017, the WHO was able to control an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo in record time. Do some research into how Ebola was controlled. Is there a vaccine for Ebola? If there is, what type of vaccine is it? Is it easily accessible and is it effective? If not, what are the obstacles in the way of developing an effective vaccine?
Definitions and review
Definitions
- Active immunity
- Natural active immunity
- Artificial active immunity
- Passive immunity
- Natural passive immunity
- Artificial passive immunity
- Vaccination
- Antitoxin
- Herd immunity
- Ring immunity
- Antigenic drift
- Antigenic shift
Mindmap
Add this section to your chapter eleven mindmap.