Hello, I need help making sense of this information. I\'m working on a summary o

Question

Hello, I need help making sense of this information. I'm working on a summary of a research paper and I would like to understand how the vaccine works, what's a serotype and what effect does the serotypes have without the viral antigen(Placebo).

The trial vaccine, the calcium carbonate buffer, and the placebo were developed and manufactured by Serum Institute of India, which donated the vaccine, buffer, and placebo. BRV-PV is a bovine–human reassortant vaccine containing rotavirus serotypes G1, G2, G3, G4, and G9 (>5.6 log10 fluorescent focus units per serotype per dose) and is stable for 2 years at a temperature of 37°C and for 6 months at 40°C.21 The placebo was the same formulation but without the viral antigens. The vaccine and placebo were administered orally in liquid form and were identical in appearance and packaging. The vaccine and placebo were stored at 2°C to 8°C from the time of shipping to arrival at the Epicentre facility in Maradi, Niger. There the vaccine and placebo were stored at temperatures not exceeding 25°C and, after dispatch, at ambient temperature until administration. Study physicians at health centers administered the initial dose to infants who were 6 to 8 weeks of age, with each subsequent dose given at 4-week intervals (range, 3 to 8 weeks). Vaccination was delayed only if the child was unable to swallow, had a history of vomiting within the previous 24 hours, or required immediate hospitalization. Vaccines that were routinely administered according to the guidelines of the Expanded Program on Immunization were concomitantly administered with the vaccine or placebo. No specific instructions to the mothers about breastfeeding were given at the time of administration.

Explanation / Answer

A vaccine is made up of either one of the followings

On administration of a vaccine, the immune system of the body gets activated and produce antibodies against the components of the vaccine. These antibodies destroy these components and develop an immunological memory for them. So, the next time when the person comes in contact with a similar microorganism, it is recognized by the immune system and destroyed. The vaccine components (e.g virus or surface protein) are either killed or weakened so that they does not cause any harm to the receiver.

A serotype is a group of microorganisms of the same species which differ in their antigenic determinants, called as an epitope, expressed on the cell surface.

Placebo is a fake treatment given to the patients. Here, placebo contains the disease-causing strain (serotype) lacking viral antigen. Because the antibodies are formed against the antigenic determinants and in this antigens are absent, so there will be no effect on the immune system and the body. This means immune system does not activate.

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