Which vaccine is a live vaccine?

Which vaccine is a live vaccine?

• A. Rotavirus vaccine
• B. HepB vaccine
• C. Pneumococcal vaccine
• D. Inactivated poliovirus vaccine

Answer: (A)

Live vaccines use a weakened form of the pathogen that can still replicate in the body, prompting a strong and lasting immune response, often with mucosal immunity when given by mouth. The Rotavirus vaccine is an oral, live-attenuated vaccine, designed to briefly replicate in the gut to stimulate gut-associated immunity (and systemic protection) against rotavirus gastroenteritis. The other vaccines listed are not live: Hepatitis B is a recombinant subunit vaccine containing the HBs antigen; pneumococcal vaccines are conjugate or polysaccharide vaccines without any live organism; the inactivated poliovirus vaccine contains killed virus and cannot replicate. Therefore, Rotavirus vaccine is the live vaccine.

Live vaccines use a weakened form of the pathogen that can still replicate in the body, prompting a strong and lasting immune response, often with mucosal immunity when given by mouth. The Rotavirus vaccine is an oral, live-attenuated vaccine, designed to briefly replicate in the gut to stimulate gut-associated immunity (and systemic protection) against rotavirus gastroenteritis. The other vaccines listed are not live: Hepatitis B is a recombinant subunit vaccine containing the HBs antigen; pneumococcal vaccines are conjugate or polysaccharide vaccines without any live organism; the inactivated poliovirus vaccine contains killed virus and cannot replicate. Therefore, Rotavirus vaccine is the live vaccine.