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Updated: Aug 15, 2026
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In Vivo Assay for Detection of Antigen-specific T-cell Cytolytic Function Using a Vaccination Model
Published on: November 28, 2017
[Vaccination and autoimmunity: a real or imagined risk?]
Bulletin Et Memoires De L'Academie Royale De Medecine De Belgique
|August 25, 2005
Summary
Understanding autoimmune disease mechanisms helps assess risks from infections and immunizations. Autoimmune adverse effects from vaccination are rare when causality is strictly evaluated, and vaccines are recommended for patients with autoimmune conditions.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Autoimmunity
- Vaccinology
Context:
- Autoimmune diseases arise from complex regulatory mechanisms.
- Assessing risks associated with infections and immunizations is crucial for patient management.
- Recent concerns regarding vaccine-induced autoimmunity require rigorous scientific evaluation.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the risk of autoimmune diseases following infections or immunizations.
- To determine the causality between vaccination and autoimmune adverse effects.
- To provide evidence-based recommendations for vaccinating patients with autoimmune conditions.
Summary:
- Regulatory mechanisms effectively control autoimmune responses to antigens and innate immunity activators.
- Strict causal criteria reveal that vaccine-associated autoimmune adverse effects are infrequent.
- Allegations of vaccine-induced autoimmunity lack confirmation upon thorough review.
Impact:
- This understanding aids in accurately assessing the risks of infections and immunizations.
- It clarifies that vaccines are generally safe and beneficial for individuals with autoimmune diseases.
- Vaccines for hepatitis B, influenza, and pneumococcal infections are recommended due to a favorable risk-benefit ratio.
Related Concept Videos
01:51Vaccinations
Overview
01:26Antigens Involved in Adaptive Immunity
An antigen is any substance the immune system identifies as foreign and potentially harmful to the body, prompting an immune response. Antigens have two functional properties: immunogenicity and reactivity. Immunogenicity is the ability of an antigen to stimulate a specific immune response. At the same time, reactivity describes the antigen's ability to react with the cells and antibodies produced in response to it.
Complete Antigens
Complete antigens possess both immunogenicity and reactivity.
Complete Antigens
Complete antigens possess both immunogenicity and reactivity.
01:23Immunological Memory
Immunological memory, a pivotal pillar of the adaptive immune system, is responsible for the body's ability to remember and respond more swiftly and effectively to previously encountered pathogens. This remarkable feature is what makes vaccines so effective in preventing diseases.
What is Immunological Memory?
Immunological memory is an integral function of the immune system that allows it to recognize and react more rapidly and effectively to pathogens previously encountered. This feature is...
What is Immunological Memory?
Immunological memory is an integral function of the immune system that allows it to recognize and react more rapidly and effectively to pathogens previously encountered. This feature is...
01:31Active versus Passive Immunity
Immunity, along with the ability to limit pathogen growth to prevent significant body tissue damage, can be gained either by (1) actively developing an immune response within the individual after exposure to a pathogen or after getting vaccinated or (2) passively transferring immune components from an immune individual to one who is nonimmune. Both these forms of immunity can be found naturally and in medical practices.
Active Immunity
Active immunity refers to the resistance one develops...
Active Immunity
Active immunity refers to the resistance one develops...
01:29Autoimmune Disorders
Autoimmune diseases are a group of disorders in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks its own cells, tissues, and organs. This results from an overactive immune response against substances and tissues normally present in the body. Let's delve into the concept and mechanism of autoimmune diseases from an immune system point of view, explore different causes and examples of such diseases, and discuss potential solutions.
Concept and Mechanism of Autoimmune Diseases
The immune system...
Concept and Mechanism of Autoimmune Diseases
The immune system...
01:21Vaccines
Vaccines are among the most effective tools in preventive medicine, designed to prepare the immune system to recognize and combat infectious agents. By introducing antigens—substances that the immune system identifies as foreign—vaccines stimulate an adaptive immune response that leads to immunological memory. This immunological memory enables the body to mount a faster and more effective response upon future exposures to the actual pathogen.Vaccines can be categorized based on the type of...