Janusz Ślusarczyk

Układ odpornościowy, odporność poszczepienna i definicje określające szczepienia i szczepionki
2006-02-01

Human immune system, post-vaccination immunity and definitions of vaccines and vaccination. The paper presents a brief overview of the immune mechanisms relevant to vaccines and vaccination. Anti-infective immunity is highlighted and generation of primary and secondary immune responses as a basis of immunity after vaccination is emphasized. Innate immunity, which plays a critical role immediately after a pathogen enters the host and providing a first line defence against invading microorganisms is presented as preceding adaptive immune response. Specific immune response and the ability to recall previous exposures to antigen constituting the foundation of immunoprophylactic vaccination against infectious agents are discussed together with Th1/Th2 paradigm of the immune response. A vocabulary of terms describing vaccines and vaccinations, review of vaccinations trends and the role of adjuvants is also underlined.