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The Open University

Vaccination

The Open University via OpenLearn

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Overview

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Vaccinations are now considered a part of everyday life, but how do they work? Vaccination is a free course that will help those with a background in biology understand the historical development of vaccination, assess the various types of vaccines used today, examine their production and explore the limitations that are placed on vaccination programmes.

Syllabus

  • Introduction
  • Learning outcomes
  • 1 Smallpox and the history of vaccination
  • 1 Smallpox and the history of vaccination
  • 1.1 The smallpox virus
  • 1.2 Variolation
  • 1.3 Edward Jenner and vaccination with cowpox
  • 1.4 Is smallpox still a threat?
  • 1.5 Summary of Section 1
  • 2 Active vaccines and passive immunisation
  • 2 Active vaccines and passive immunisation
  • 2.1 From passive to active
  • 2.2 Summary of Section 2
  • 3 Critical antigens and the immune response
  • 3 Critical antigens and the immune response
  • 3.1 How do vaccines work?
  • 3.2 Summary of Section 3
  • 4 Strategies for vaccine production
  • 4 Strategies for vaccine production
  • 4.1 Introduction
  • 4.2 Intact killed pathogens
  • 4.3 Attenuated pathogens
  • 4.4 Subunit vaccines
  • 4.5 Vaccines of the future
  • 4.6 Summary of Section 4
  • 5 Influences on vaccine efficacy
  • 5 Influences on vaccine efficacy
  • 5.1 Introduction
  • 5.2 Antigens and immunogens
  • 5.3 Adjuvants
  • 5.4 Summary of Section 5
  • 6 Challenges to vaccine development
  • 6 Challenges to vaccine development
  • 6.1 Introduction
  • 6.2 Zoonoses
  • 6.3 Asymptomatic carriers
  • 6.4 Evasion of the immune response
  • 6.5 Multiple strains
  • 6.6 Prion diseases
  • 6.7 Conclusion
  • 6.8 Summary of Section 6
  • 7 Limitations on vaccination programmes
  • 7 Limitations on vaccination programmes
  • 7.1 Introduction
  • 7.2 Cost-effectiveness
  • 7.3 Organisational difficulties
  • 7.4 Vaccine safety
  • 7.5 Perceived risk of vaccination
  • 7.6 Summary of Section 7
  • 8 Internet researches into vaccination issues
  • 8 Internet researches into vaccination issues
  • Conclusion
  • References
  • Acknowledgements

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4.2 rating at OpenLearn based on 5 ratings

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