Anti-Viral Vaccines.ppt

Virus Basics Viruses are intracellular parasites unable to survive without a living host Non-living; do not follow Koch’s Postulates They cannot reproduce or metabolize on their own because they lack the self-machinery to do so Obligately replicate inside host cells using host metabolism A single infectious virus particle is termed a virion that acts as the vehicle for transmission All viruses consist of either double- or single-stranded DNA or RNA that is linear or circular (or fragmented) Virus Basics Nucleic Acid: Viral DNA or RNA enclosed within the capsid that will be replicated within the host cell Capsid: Made of proteins surrounding the nucleic acid of a virus. It is made of capsomer subunits that serve as a protective shield. It is also responsible for attachment and penetration of host cell. Envelope: Some viruses’ capsids are enclosed by a protective envelope consisting of glycoproteins that comes from the host cell. It is used for cell recognition and attachment Virus Basics Vaccines [Background] Vaccine comes from the Latin word “vacca” which pertains to “cows” Based on the practice of variolation which was inoculating healthy individuals with weak forms of smallpox 1st Vaccine (1796): Edward Jenner inoculated milkmaids with cowpox to confer protective immunity against smallpox. 1st Attenuated Vaccine (1885): Louis Pasteur developed a vaccine to protect against rabies; vaccine is made from viable virus with reduced virulence (lower degree of pathogenicity). Vaccines [Background] Most damage to a cell is done too early before any clinical symptoms of disease appear. Treatment becomes difficult, therefore, prevention is preferred over post-exposure vaccines. The Main Idea: Vaccines contain a weak form of a virus/microbe that is not pathogenic Vaccines are used to protect a large number of people – fight against epidemics and pandemics. Good vaccines elicit a secondary immune response that will eliminate the pathogen. Once vaccinated, the immune s