Vaccines and immune system response

Vaccines consist of an inactive form of an infectious disease or a foreign antigen. The intended purpose of the vaccines is to improve the immune response to an antigen. The vaccines typically contain an attenuated (weakened) or killed form of the microbe. Vaccines can also contain the inactive toxins, proteins, or polysaccharides produced by the microbe. The way to make an attenuated virus is done so by the means of transferring the antigen between species until it is no longer infectious to humans. This may be done so in animals, tissue cultures, or embryonated eggs; examples MMR, measles, mumps, rubella. The killed version of vaccines contains the antigen that has been killed by such means of extreme heat, radioactivity, or antibiotics; examples are Flu, Polio, and Hep A. The vaccines that contain a toxin of which came from the antigen is denatures typically with heat; an example being DTaP. Polysaccharides must be linked to a protein in order to generate an effective immune response, as sugars cannot be presented to an MHC molecule, these vaccines done so by linkage are termed conjugate vaccines; an example being Haemophilus Influenza B (HiB). Vaccines are composed of several components to make the body respond properly to the microbes, therefor they also consist of adjuvants, preservatives and excipients. Adjuvants are chemicals added in to increase the immune response to the microbe, allowing a smaller amount of the antigen to be used. Preservatives, typically a type of antibiotic, are added to preserve the current microbe and prevent other microbes from growing while the vaccine is being stored. Excipients are chemicals that are defined as pharmacologically inactive, however this is being proven less so with more research. These may be chemicals used to inactivate the microbe, or left overs from the tissue culture or egg culture used to grow the antigen in. The most abundantly used excipient is Thimerosal (ethyl mercury) has been outlawed in use of children’s vaccines as it was leading to mercury poisoning due to the vast amount of immunization needed by children in such a short duration to fit into the CDC’s recommended vaccination charts. For reference to most of the components contained in vaccines and safety information please refer to www.vaccinesafety.com
How do vaccines trigger an immune response? The microbe within the vaccine causes the specific immune response to initiate. The different types of vaccines trigger a separate response mechanism. The killed antigen and polysaccharide antigen stimulates the antibody responses via an MHC class II processing leading to activation of CD4’s. The attenuated vaccines stimulate a CD8 T cell response by the live antigen leading to a MHC class I activation via Th1. The adjuvants inside of the vaccines, such as aluminum salts will drive a Th2 antibody response. Live vaccines do not contain adjuvants and contain less excipients as they are not needed and could actually diminish the response to the vaccine, Hints the debate of MMR causing autism, which could not have happened by means of mercury toxicity, as MMR has never contained thimerosal. Antibiotics within a vaccine could have an effect on microflora development and hence the immune development,  however the doses are very small, so this is very highly unlikely. Excipients, recently are causing debate upon the fact that they might be causing allergic reactions, therefore it is important to know what these are, common ones being eggs and latex.
The strategy behind vaccines is to be able to vaccinate as many people as you can, as early as you can and as often as you can in order to help prevent outbreaks or progression into something bigger. Vaccines are also geared toward trying to produce the best quality of an immune response. As a Naturopathic approach, a vaccine would only be used if it is absolutely something that must be done, otherwise you would want to make sure that the person remains healthy and find ways in which you could help them build a healthy innate immune system. The problem with the current vaccination schedule would be that they are given all piled up on each other, especially with young children and adolescents. These rapid onsets and toxicities can cause issues with the innate immune system having adequate time to build itself up, and some of the fillers in the vaccines are known to cause neurological developmental problems.