Name: Renz Genezera Year and Section: 1-B Date of Submission: 05/07/2023

Esperanza watched as her mother got her flu shot. “Why do you need a shot if you’re
not sick?” she asked. “So that I won’t get sick,” answered her mom. Explain how the
influenza vaccination prevents illness.

1. Explain in detail how the influenza vaccination prevents illness.

Answer:
Influenza vaccination is a method of developing immunity towards specific viruses through
adaptive immunity or creating antibodies specifically to fight and neutralize influenza virus to
what is known as antibodies-mediated immunity. It uses attenuated (weakened) or killed whole
or portion of the influenza virus to activate the T cells and B cells in our body by antigenic
properties or the immune response triggered by the presence of antigen of the influenza virus. T
cells and B cells through their antigen receptors, will detect the newly acquired influenza virus. It
was done by being presented with the virus by the other white blood cells or also known as
antigen-presenting cells. T cells and B cells will then activate, attack, and develop the virus-
specific antibodies which will take about days to weeks before it fully develops and also produce
T and B memory cells specific for the newly developed antibodies. This process is known as
primary immune response. Because of the development of new antibodies IgG and IgM, in the
next presence of influenza, memory cells are ready for cloning of antibodies specific for the
influenza virus in a rapid and vigorous response and will prevent and eliminate the virus before
it can cause illness to Esperanza’s mother.

2. Which type of immunity is involved during influenza vaccination? Explain your answer.

Answer:
The type of immunity involved in influenza vaccination is adaptive immunity where development
and production of influenza-specific antibodies will occur and binds to influenza-specific
antigens to fight off and defend the body. It involves antibody-mediated immunity as B cells will
transform into plasma cells, which synthesize and secrete specific antibodies for the influenza
virus. The influenza-specific antibodies will bind to the antigen of the influenza virus in the fluid
or blood which is known as humoral immunity in order to neutralize and phagocytize the
influenza virus.
3. Is this a primary immune response or secondary response? Explain your answer. In your
explanation, differentiate a primary immune response from a secondary immune response.

Answer:
Esperanza's mother's vaccination for influenza will cause a primary immune response. Primary
immune response is when she was first exposed to the weakened and dead influenza virus
through the vaccination. This will stimulate the antibody-mediated immunity to develop new
antibodies specific to the influenza virus. These antibodies will bind to the antigen of the
influenza virus which is known as humoral immunity. As to the previous counter of the influenza
virus through vaccination, memory cells for the influenza virus are also being produced. This will
be ready for the secondary immune response which is different from the primary immune
response. Since primary immune response is developing and producing new antibodies for the
newly detected influenza virus, secondary immune response is where these memory cells
produced from the previous encounter of influenza, will rapidly and vigorously clone the
developed antibodies specific to the influenza virus to fight off in the next presence of influenza
virus. Secondary immune response is much faster and powerful than the primary immune
response because it is instead improving the already existing influenza-specific antibodies
developed from the primary immune response and massively producing it to fight off in the next
influenza episode.