Immunity and vaccinationEdexcel A-Level Biology A: Flashcards

What these 13 flashcards ask

What is immunity?
What distinguishes active from passive immunity?
Give an example of natural active immunity.
Give an example of artificial active immunity.
Give two examples of natural passive immunity.
Give an example of artificial passive immunity.
What does a vaccine contain?
Why do vaccines not cause the disease?
Why does active immunity last longer than passive immunity?
Why does passive immunity work immediately?
Describe the primary response.
Describe the secondary response.
What is the purpose of a booster dose?

Exam questions on Immunity and vaccination

Newborn babies have antibodies against measles in their blood at birth, received from their mothers across the placenta. The level of these antibodies falls to almost zero by about six months. In the UK the first measles vaccine dose is given at about twelve months.
Explain why the antibodies received from the mother give the baby only temporary protection.2 marks
A hospital records four cases. Person W recovers from chickenpox. Person X is given the hepatitis B vaccine. Person Y, bitten by a rabid dog, is injected with rabies antibodies. Person Z, a baby, receives antibodies from her mother's breast milk.
Explain why the injection gives person Y protection straight away but only for a short time.2 marks
A volunteer was given a vaccine on day 0 and a booster dose of the same vaccine on day 28. After the first dose the antibody concentration in the blood peaked at 20 arbitrary units (au) on day 14 and had fallen to 6 au by day 28. After the booster it peaked at 110 au on day 35 and was still above 40 au on day 120.
Describe the differences between the antibody response to the first dose and the response to the booster dose.3 marks

Written by the Exaim team, led by Shaun Daswani (Head of Upper Secondary, Improve ME Institute; MSc Financial Mathematics, Imperial College London; BSc, UCL) and Jason Daswani (operational lead, Improve ME Institute; LSE).