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In this article, I briefly describe nucleic acid vaccines, their mechanism of working, and the broad and long-term immune response in humans. Nucleic acid vaccines The vaccines which use genetic material from a harmful pathogen to stimulate an immune response are called nucleic acid vaccines. These vaccines can contain either DNA or RNA. This genetic … Read more >>
In this article, I briefly describe the recombinant vector vaccines and their advantages over live attenuated vaccines. Live attenuated vaccines Attenuation is a process, where microorganisms lose their ability to cause a significant disease. In other words, attenuation takes away the pathogenicity of microorganisms. Attenuation can be achieved when a pathogenic virus or bacterium is … Read more >>
In this article, I briefly describe the types of subunit vaccines. Purified macromolecules as vaccines Attenuated or inactivated whole-organism vaccines carry certain risks, prompting the development of alternative options that utilize specific purified macromolecules from pathogens. Currently, three main types of such vaccines are used: capsular polysaccharides, toxoids, and recombinant microbial antigens. Capsular polysaccharides The … Read more >>
In this article, I briefly describe live attenuated and inactivated vaccines. Vaccines A vaccine is a biological preparation that gives immunity to infectious diseases. The administration of vaccines is called vaccination. Edward Jenner was an English physician and scientist who pioneered the concept of vaccines including creating the smallpox vaccine, the world’s first vaccine. Vaccination is … Read more >>
In this article, I briefly describe how passive and active immunization protects against diseases. Immunization The process of evoking a state of protective immunity against a harmful pathogen is called immunization. When exposed to a live pathogen and recovered, an individual is immunized with the disease. Though this is an effective way to get protective … Read more >>
In this article, I briefly describe parasitic infections and how trypanosomes apply novel immune evasion strategies. Parasitic infections Parasites are a vast category, from unicellular protozoan eukaryotes to macroscopic worms. The parasitic world is so diverse that it is difficult to generalize. Most eukaryotic protozoan parasites inhabit intracellular spaces in their human hosts for one … Read more >>
In this article, I briefly describe how innate immunity and acquired immunity play an important role in controlling fungal infections. Fungal infections Fungi are diverse and ubiquitous, possessing characteristics of both plants and animals. They depend on external sources for nutrients. Fungi have their kingdom and provide many beneficial services for humans. They ferment bread, … Read more >>
In this article, I briefly describe phagocytes- the white blood cells in our immune system. They play a critical role in defending the body against infections. Phagocytes Phagocytes were first identified in 1882 by Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov during his research on starfish larvae. These white blood cells protect the body by engulfing and breaking down … Read more >>
In this article, I briefly describe the skin immune system and its similarities and dissimilarities with the respiratory and intestinal immune systems. Skin The bodies of vertebrate animals are covered with a soft, flexible outer tissue layer called skin. It serves three primary roles: protection, regulation, and sensation. The skin interacts directly with the environment, … Read more >>
In this article, I briefly describe the parallelism between the intestinal and respiratory immune systems. The respiratory tract The respiratory tract is responsible for breathing and exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide between the body and the environment. It is divided into upper respiratory tract and lower respiratory tract. It is exposed directly to the external … Read more >>