MMR Vaccine

Rotavirus Vaccine

Pneumococcal Vaccine

Vaccine types

It is important to be aware of vaccines which are of the live-attenuated type as these may pose a risk to immunocompromised patients.

The main types of vaccines are as follows:

Live attenuated

• utilise a weakened form of the pathogen to stimulate an immune response akin to a natural infection without causing the disease
• typically not recommended for individuals with compromised immune systems due to the live nature of the vaccine
• examples:
  • BCG
  • measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)
  • influenza (intranasal)
  • oral rotavirus
  • oral polio
  • yellow fever
  • oral typhoid

Inactivated preparations

• employ pathogens that have been killed, often by heat or chemicals, to elicit an immune response
• might require booster doses to maintain immunity as the induced immune response is generally weaker than live attenuated vaccines
• examples:
  • rabies
  • hepatitis A
  • influenza (intramuscular)

Toxoid (inactivated toxin)

• these vaccines are designed around the toxins produced by certain bacteria. The toxins are rendered harmless (detoxified) and used as antigens in the vaccine. When the immune system encounters these non-toxic toxoids, it learns to combat the natural toxins the bacteria produce, providing immunity against the toxic effects of infections
• toxoid vaccines often require booster doses to maintain immunity since, like inactivated vaccines, the immune response they induce can wane over time
• examples:
  • tetanus
  • diphtheria
  • pertussis

Subunit and conjugate vaccines

They are often grouped together. Subunit means that only part of the pathogen is used to generate an immunogenic response. A conjugate vaccine is a particular type that links the poorly immunogenic bacterial polysaccharide outer coats to proteins to make them more immunogenic