Vaccine and Vaccination Indian Medical PG Practice Questions and MCQs
Practice Indian Medical PG questions for Vaccine and Vaccination. These multiple choice questions (MCQs) cover important concepts and help you prepare for your exams.
Vaccine and Vaccination Indian Medical PG Question 1: What are the possible mild reactions after receiving the influenza vaccine?
- A. Itching
- B. Local swelling
- C. Fever
- D. All of the options (Correct Answer)
Vaccine and Vaccination Explanation: ***All of the options***
- All three reactions listed (local swelling, fever, and itching) are recognized **mild side effects** of the influenza vaccine.
- **Local reactions** such as swelling, soreness, redness, and itching at the injection site are common and typically resolve within 1-2 days.
- **Systemic reactions** like low-grade fever, headache, malaise, and muscle aches can occur as the immune system responds to the vaccine, usually lasting 1-2 days.
- Since all the individual options represent possible mild reactions, the correct answer encompasses all of them.
*Why individual options alone are incomplete*
- Selecting only "Local swelling," "Fever," or "Itching" would be medically accurate but incomplete, as the question asks for "possible mild reactions" (plural).
- Each individual option represents only one type of mild reaction, while multiple types can occur.
- The most comprehensive and correct answer includes all possible mild reactions listed.
Vaccine and Vaccination Indian Medical PG Question 2: Due to a measles outbreak in a community, a medical officer decided to immunize a child aged seven months with measles vaccine. When should the next measles vaccine be administered?
- A. Not required
- B. When the child completes nine months of age (Correct Answer)
- C. When the child completes fifteen months of age
- D. After four weeks
Vaccine and Vaccination Explanation: ***When the child completes nine months of age***
- A measles vaccine given at **seven months during an outbreak** is considered a **zero-dose** or **early dose** and does NOT replace the routine immunization schedule.
- According to the **Indian National Immunization Schedule**, the routine first dose of measles vaccine (MR vaccine) is given at **9 months of age**, regardless of whether an earlier outbreak dose was administered.
- Vaccines given before 9 months have **reduced efficacy** due to interference from maternal antibodies, making the 9-month dose essential for adequate seroconversion.
- After the 9-month dose, a second dose is given at **16-24 months** as per routine schedule.
*When the child completes fifteen months of age*
- While 15-18 months is appropriate timing for the **second dose** of measles vaccine in the routine schedule, it is not the immediate next dose after a 7-month outbreak vaccination.
- The child still requires the **routine 9-month dose first**, followed by the second dose at 16-24 months.
- Skipping the 9-month dose and going directly to 15 months would leave a prolonged gap without adequate protection.
*Not required*
- This is **incorrect** because early doses given before 9 months are considered zero-doses and do not provide reliable long-term immunity.
- The routine schedule **must still be followed** to ensure proper immunization, starting with the 9-month dose.
*After four weeks*
- A four-week interval after the 7-month dose is **too short** and not recommended in immunization guidelines.
- There is **no indication** for such an early repeat dose; the child should wait until the routine 9-month schedule for the next dose.
Vaccine and Vaccination Indian Medical PG Question 3: Which of the following vaccines is classified as a killed vaccine?
- A. Varicella
- B. BCG
- C. OPV
- D. Meningococcal vaccine (Correct Answer)
Vaccine and Vaccination Explanation: ***Meningococcal vaccine***
- The meningococcal conjugate and polysaccharide vaccines are **killed vaccines**, containing inactivated bacterial components (polysaccharides) that stimulate an immune response.
- They provide protection against *Neisseria meningitidis* and are considered safe for most populations due to their non-live nature.
*Varicella*
- The varicella vaccine is a **live-attenuated vaccine**, meaning it contains a weakened form of the **varicella-zoster virus**.
- This attenuated virus can replicate in the recipient, eliciting a strong and long-lasting immune response, similar to natural infection.
*BCG*
- The **Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG)** vaccine is a **live-attenuated vaccine** used to prevent tuberculosis.
- It contains a weakened strain of **_Mycobacterium bovis_**, which is closely related to *Mycobacterium tuberculosis* but has lost its virulence.
*OPV*
- The **Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV)** is a **live-attenuated vaccine** that contains weakened but live strains of all three poliovirus serotypes.
- It induces strong mucosal immunity in the gut, which is crucial for preventing the wild poliovirus from replicating and spreading.
Vaccine and Vaccination Indian Medical PG Question 4: Which one of the following is an absolute contraindication for administration of killed vaccine?
- A. Hodgkin's disease
- B. Pregnancy
- C. Severe reaction to a previous dose (Correct Answer)
- D. Immunodeficiency
Vaccine and Vaccination Explanation: ***Severe reaction to a previous dose***
* A **severe allergic reaction** (e.g., **anaphylaxis**) to a previous dose of any vaccine or its components is an **absolute contraindication** to further doses of that vaccine.
* This is due to the potential for a life-threatening anaphylactic response upon re-exposure to the allergen.
*Hodgkin's disease*
* While Hodgkin's disease is a **malignancy** that can affect the immune system, it is generally considered a **precaution** or a reason to defer live vaccines, not an absolute contraindication for killed vaccines.
* **Killed vaccines** are generally safe in immunocompromised patients, though their efficacy may be reduced.
*Pregnancy*
* **Pregnancy** is a contraindication for certain **live attenuated vaccines** (e.g., MMR, varicella) due to the theoretical risk of fetal infection.
* However, most **killed vaccines** (e.g., inactivated influenza, tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis) are **safe and often recommended** during pregnancy for maternal and fetal protection.
*Immunodeficiency*
* **Immunodeficiency** (e.g., HIV/AIDS, chemotherapy) is primarily a contraindication for **live attenuated vaccines**, as these can cause disseminated infection in immunocompromised individuals.
* **Killed vaccines** are generally safe in immunocompromised individuals, although the **immune response may be suboptimal**, and repeat doses or higher doses may be necessary.
Vaccine and Vaccination Indian Medical PG Question 5: All are live vaccines except
- A. BCG
- B. OPV
- C. Tetanus (Correct Answer)
- D. Measles
Vaccine and Vaccination Explanation: ***Tetanus***
- The **tetanus vaccine** is an **inactivated (toxoid) vaccine**, meaning it contains an inactivated form of the bacterial toxin, not a live attenuated pathogen.
- Toxoid vaccines work by stimulating an immune response to the **toxin produced by the bacteria**, thereby preventing the disease but not necessarily the infection itself.
*BCG*
- The **BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guérin) vaccine** is a **live attenuated vaccine** used to prevent tuberculosis.
- It contains a live, weakened strain of *Mycobacterium bovis* that stimulates a protective immune response.
*OPV*
- The **OPV (Oral Polio Vaccine)** is a **live attenuated vaccine** that contains weakened forms of all three poliovirus serotypes.
- It provides both humoral and intestinal immunity, leading to **herd immunity** through fecal-oral transmission of the vaccine virus.
*Measles*
- The **measles vaccine** (often given as part of MMR) is a **live attenuated vaccine**.
- It contains a weakened form of the **measles virus**, which can replicate in the host to induce a strong, long-lasting immune response.
More Vaccine and Vaccination Indian Medical PG questions available in the OnCourse app. Practice MCQs, flashcards, and get detailed explanations.
