IMMUNOLOGY - Roitt A. - Mir 2000

Chapter 19. Vaccination

CONTRACEPTIVE VACCINES

Essentially, Fertilization and egg implantation can be prevented by inducing an Immune Response in a woman's body against various Pregnancy-related Hormones. The most successful attempts of this kind have targeted human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), an embryo-specific hormone that maintains corpus luteum function during pregnancy. Vaccines consisting of hCG β-subunit conjugates with tetanus or diphtheria toxoid have been extremely successful in preventing fertilization in baboons and, according to very recent data, in humans. In human trials, the resulting Infertility was temporary, and no serious side effects of vaccination were observed. Undoubtedly, such vaccines represent a powerful new tool for safe family planning, although, of course, ethical issues surrounding their use cannot be ignored.

Questions for Thought

■ Why has it proven impossible to develop Attenuated Vaccines against every single viral and bacterial infection?

■ “No vaccine can improve upon nature.” Is this view overly pessimistic?

■ “The success story of smallpox eradication is unlikely to be repeated.” How true is this statement?

■ Will vaccines eventually be able to replace Antibiotics?

■ What is BCG: a vaccine, an adjuvant, or a non-specific immunostimulant?

■ Why might a vaccine against helminth infection cause more harm than good?

■ Apart from antibody-based assays, what other Methods can be used to identify Antigens suitable for vaccine development?

Introduction/47.html">Further Reading

HMSO. 1988. Immunisation against Infectious Diseases. London.

Hoffman S.L., ed. 1996. Malaria Vaccine Development. Washington. DC: ASM Press.

Mims C.A., Playfair J.H.L, Roitt I.M., Wakelin D., Williams R. Vaccination. In: Medical Microbiology. London: Mosby; 1993.

Modern Vaccines. London: Edward Arnold, 1990.

Brown F., Dougan G., Hoey E.M., Martin S.J., Rima B.K., Trudgett A. 1993. Vaccine Design. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons.