Question

Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) vaccine is an example of:

• A. Toxoid vaccine
• B. Recombinant protein vaccine
• C. Conjugate vaccine
• D. Subunit vaccine

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

To answer the question regarding the type of vaccine that Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) vaccine represents, let us explore the concept of different types of vaccines.

Types of Vaccines:

1. Toxoid Vaccine: These vaccines contain inactivated bacterial toxins. They are used to protect against diseases like tetanus and diphtheria.
2. Recombinant Protein Vaccine: These are created through recombinant DNA technology where specific protein components of the pathogen are used to elicit an immune response.
3. Conjugate Vaccine: These vaccines combine a weak antigen with a strong antigen to ensure a stronger immunological response. Hib vaccine falls under this category, as it uses polysaccharides linked to a protein to improve the efficacy of the vaccine in infants.
4. Subunit Vaccine: This vaccine includes only the essential antigens, not the whole pathogen, to stimulate a specific immune response.

Conclusion: The Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) vaccine is categorized as a Conjugate vaccine. This is because it is designed using polysaccharides from the outer coating of the bacteria linked to a protein which enhances immunogenicity, especially in young children.

Explanation for the Correct Answer:

The Hib vaccine is crucial in preventing serious illnesses like meningitis and pneumonia caused by the Haemophilus influenzae type B bacteria. The conjugate process makes the vaccine more suitable for use in infants who have immature immune systems that might not respond adequately to polysaccharide antigens alone.

Based on this explanation, the correct answer is: Conjugate vaccine.