Vaccines, Immunology and Clinical Trials

Viral Vaccines and Bacterial Vaccines

Vaccines that are developed from viruses are viral. Viral vaccines contain either inactivated viruses or attenuated viruses. One of the most common examples of viral vaccine is MMR (mumps, measles, and rubella) vaccine. Inactivated or killed viral vaccines contain viruses, which have lost their ability to replicate and in turn cause disease. Bacterial vaccines contain killed or attenuated bacteria that activate the immune system. Antibodies are built against that particular bacteria and prevent bacterial infection later. An example of a bacterial vaccine is the Tuberculosis vaccine.