VPB 321: Animal Biotechnology (2+1)

VACCINES 

• Vaccination protects a recipient from pathogenic agents by establishing an immunological resistance to infection. An injected or oral vaccine induces the host to generate antibodies against the disease-causing organisms.
• Dr. Edward Jenner discovered the principle of vaccination. Cowpox is a mild cattle disease cause human infection. Where as small pox is an extremely virulent disease with high death rate in human beings.
• Jenner inoculated James Phipps, an 8-year old, with exudates from a cowpox pustule. The boy was found to be fully protected against human small pox.
• Modern vaccines typically consist of either a killed (inactivated) or a live, non-virulent (attenuated) form of an infectious agent. The infectious agent is grown in culture, purified and either inactivated or attenuated without losing its ability to evoke an immune response.
• The introduction of recombinant DNA technology has provided a means for creating a new generation vaccines that overcome the drawbacks of traditional vaccines.