Bio question about vaccines! (1 Viewer)

[LoveHateSchool]

I'm compiling notes and such for Section 5 SFBH in bio.

However I'm a little confused about why vaccines have been developed for some infections and not for others? I can't seem to grasp it!

 

[Lemiixem]

A flu for instance does not have an exact vaccine. The flu is constantly changing, a vaccine for the flu might work one time but then won't work after few months later that's because the flu is constantly evolving, the antigens are a different shape every time therefore the body needs to make a new antibody every time the flu evolves. This is why some infections don't have a vaccine, the antigens are constantly changing.

To my understanding, that's why some infections don't have vaccines.

 

[RishBonjour]

A flu for instance does not have an exact vaccine. The flu is constantly changing, a vaccine for the flu might work one time but then won't work after few months later that's because the flu is constantly evolving, the antigens are a different shape every time therefore the body needs to make a new antibody every time the flu evolves. This is why some infections don't have a vaccine, the antigens are constantly changing.

To my understanding, that's why some infections don't have vaccines.

yep. some case with malaria parasites. they periodically change their antigen.

BTW. flu does have vaccines, but to specific types e.g. the H1N1 vaccine ?