$$\text{Sensitivity} = \frac{\text{True Positives}}{\text{True Positives} + \text{False Negatives}}$$

Question 1

Which of the following best describes a vaccine?

Accepted Answer

A suspension of organisms or fractions of organisms that induce immunity

Question 2

Why does vaccination provide long-term protection against infectious diseases?

Accepted Answer

It provokes a primary immune response, leading to the formation of memory cells

Question 3

Which type of vaccine is most likely to confer lifelong cellular and humoral immunity after only one or two doses?

Accepted Answer

Live attenuated vaccine

Question 4

A child with a poor immune response to capsular polysaccharides would most benefit from which type of vaccine?

Accepted Answer

Conjugated vaccine

Question 5

Which statement correctly contrasts subunit vaccines and nucleic acid (DNA) vaccines?

Accepted Answer

Subunit vaccines use antigenic fragments, while DNA vaccines use injected DNA to produce protein antigens in the host

Question 6

What is the primary function of an adjuvant in a vaccine?

Accepted Answer

To improve the innate immune response

Question 7

Which of the following is a risk associated with live attenuated vaccines?

Accepted Answer

They may cause disease in immunocompromised individuals

Question 8

Which equation best represents the calculation of sensitivity in a diagnostic test?

Accepted Answer

$$	ext{Sensitivity} = \frac{	ext{True Positives}}{	ext{True Positives} + 	ext{False Negatives}}$$

Question 9

Monoclonal antibodies are produced by hybridomas, which are created by fusing which two types of cells?

Accepted Answer

A myeloma cell and an antibody-producing B cell

Question 10

Which type of monoclonal antibody is least likely to cause side effects in human therapy?

Accepted Answer

Fully human antibody (-umab)

Question 11

In a precipitation reaction, what is the 'zone of equivalence'?

Accepted Answer

The optimal ratio of antigen and antibody where maximum precipitation occurs

Question 12

Which test combines electrophoresis with immunodiffusion to separate proteins in human serum?

Accepted Answer

Immunoelectrophoresis

Question 13

A patient’s serum is mixed with RBCs and a virus. Hemagglutination is inhibited. What does this indicate?

Accepted Answer

The serum contains antibodies that neutralize the virus

Question 14

Which of the following is true about direct ELISA?

Accepted Answer

It detects antigens using only one antibody

Question 15

What is the main difference between direct and indirect agglutination tests?

Accepted Answer

Direct tests detect antibodies against large cellular antigens, while indirect tests use particles coated with antigen or antibody

Question 16

Which of the following is a real-world application of monoclonal antibodies in therapy?

Accepted Answer

Neutralizing TNF in rheumatoid arthritis

Question 17

Which of the following best describes herd immunity?

Accepted Answer

Immunity in most of the population, reducing outbreaks due to lack of susceptible individuals

Question 18

Which of the following is a characteristic of inactivated killed vaccines?

Accepted Answer

They require repeated booster doses and induce mostly humoral immunity

Question 19

In a Western blotting procedure, what is the primary purpose of using specific antibodies?

Accepted Answer

To identify and locate specific proteins after electrophoresis

Question 20

Which of the following statements about the safety of vaccines is supported by scientific evidence?

Accepted Answer

There is no medical or scientific proof of MMR vaccines being linked to autism

Chapter 18: Practical Applications of Immunology – Vaccines and Diagnostic Immunology

Study Guide - Practice Questions