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The technology behind vaccines: Why are subunit vaccines so safe and reliable?
In the recent vaccine development process, subunit vaccines have received widespread attention due to their safety and effectiveness. This type of vaccine mainly contains purified parts of the pathogen, which are antigenic and can trigger an effective immune response. Unlike traditional live or killed vaccines, subunit vaccines contain only those necessary parts of the antigen, such as proteins, sugars or peptides, and therefore do not introduce live pathogens, making the benefits greater with less risk.
Subunit vaccines are not only technically mature but also suitable for people with compromised immune function, making them a popular choice in vaccine development.
Subunit vaccines began to be commercialized as early as the 1980s. The first recombinant subunit vaccine is produced to prevent hepatitis B. With the advancement of science and technology, a number of recombinant subunit vaccines were subsequently developed, including Gardasil 9 against human papillomavirus (HPV), Flublok against influenza, Shingrix against shingles, and Nuvaxovid against the new coronavirus. These vaccines achieve immune protection by inducing the body to produce antibodies against specific antigens.
In the manufacturing process of subunit vaccines, it is first necessary to identify the portion of the antigen that can effectively induce an immune response. The selection of these parts is critical, as they must be able to effectively elicit antibodies and form immune memory to facilitate rapid future responses to the same pathogen. This is why researchers pay special attention to the selection and combination of antigens when developing such vaccines.
The basic components of subunit vaccines include recombinant subunits, adjuvants and carriers, and are the safest among vaccine technologies.
Advantages of subunit vaccines
Subunit vaccines have many advantages. First, they contain no active pathogens and therefore do not cause illness, making them particularly safe for people with weakened immune systems. In addition, due to their simple composition, subunit vaccines can remain stable under various conditions and are more suitable for use in community settings. However, this type of vaccine also has its shortcomings. For example, its production process is relatively complex and its manufacturing requires adjuvants to improve the immune effect.
Side effects and contraindications
Although subunit vaccines are generally considered safe, mild side effects may occur after vaccination, including pain at the injection site, fever and tiredness. In rare cases, allergic reactions or severe anaphylactic shock may occur. Therefore, medical professionals will carefully consider the recipient's allergic history and physical condition before recommending vaccination.
Complexity of the manufacturing process
The manufacturing process of subunit vaccines is very complex and usually requires several key steps: from identification of immune atoms, expression and synthesis of subunits, to extraction and purification, then addition of auxiliaries, and finally formulation and delivery. Among these steps, it is extremely important to select appropriate cell lines for culture and production of subunits, because differences in compatibility of microbial proteins with certain expression systems may affect the final vaccine effect.
The introduction of subunit vaccines has greatly improved our ability to prevent and control infectious diseases, especially the progress in development and production, allowing everyone to obtain safer vaccine protection.
In this era of rapid vaccine development, subunit vaccines not only demonstrate the importance of emerging technologies in public health, but also inspire people to look forward to the design and development of future vaccines. We should pay attention to the future development direction of subunit vaccines and think about: Can future vaccine technologies fully solve the global health challenges we currently face?
