Plague vaccine

Plague Vaccine

The Plague Vaccine (pronunciation: /pleɪg væksin/) is a vaccine developed to prevent plague, a deadly infectious disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis.

Etymology

The term "plague vaccine" is derived from the Latin word "plaga" meaning "stroke" or "wound", and the Latin word "vaccinus" meaning "of or from the cow", referring to the use of cowpox virus in the first vaccines.

History

The first plague vaccine was developed in the late 19th century by Waldemar Haffkine, a Russian bacteriologist. The vaccine was based on killed Yersinia pestis bacteria. Modern plague vaccines are based on live attenuated strains of the bacterium or on purified proteins from the bacterium.

Types

There are two main types of plague vaccines: killed whole cell vaccines and subunit vaccines. Killed whole cell vaccines are made from whole bacteria that have been killed. Subunit vaccines are made from purified proteins from the bacterium.

Efficacy

The efficacy of plague vaccines is still a topic of ongoing research. Some studies suggest that the vaccines can provide protection against plague, but the level of protection may vary depending on the type of vaccine and the individual's immune response.

Side Effects

Common side effects of the plague vaccine include pain and swelling at the injection site, fever, and fatigue. Serious side effects are rare.

Related Terms

• Vaccine
• Plague
• Yersinia pestis
• Waldemar Haffkine
• Bacterium
• Infectious disease

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Plague vaccine
• Wikipedia's article - Plague vaccine

This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.

---

Languages: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski