Dead Bordetella pertussis can be used in which type of vaccine?

• A. Live attenuated vaccine
• B. Toxoid vaccine
• C. Inactivated (killed) vaccine
• D. Subunit vaccine

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the types of vaccines: Live attenuated vaccines contain weakened live pathogens; toxoid vaccines contain inactivated toxins; inactivated (killed) vaccines contain pathogens that have been killed; subunit vaccines contain only parts of the pathogen.
2. Recognize that 'dead' Bordetella pertussis means the bacteria are no longer alive, so they cannot be used in live attenuated vaccines, which require live but weakened organisms.
3. Since Bordetella pertussis produces toxins, a toxoid vaccine would use the inactivated toxin, not the whole dead bacteria.
4. Subunit vaccines use specific components of the pathogen, such as proteins or polysaccharides, rather than the whole killed organism.
5. Therefore, dead Bordetella pertussis bacteria are used in inactivated (killed) vaccines, where the entire pathogen is killed but still able to stimulate an immune response.