Serum and vaccine are two agents that act as immunizers, however, are used on different occasions, despite having a common goal which is to protect our bodies against foreign substances. Both products are manufactured from living organisms and are therefore called immunobiologicals.
The vaccines are used as a form of protection that stimulates our body to produce antibodies against a particular disease. Due to this characteristic, we say that the vaccine is a form of active immunization.
In this way, they are produced from inactivated or attenuated antigens, which, when placed in our body, stimulate the production of antibodies and memory cells by our immune system. Thus, when our body is invaded again by the same antigen, the body will already have ways to eliminate it quickly, before the symptoms of the disease appear. Vaccines are used to prevent viruses and bacterial diseases.
the serums, in turn, do not promote active immunization, since, in these cases, antibodies previously produced in another organism are inoculated. In the case of serums, we say that there is a
passive immunization.They are mainly known for their performance in snake venom treatment and spiders, but they are also produced to treat some bacterial toxins and the rejection of transplanted organs (antithymocyte serum). Serums are used in cases where there is a need for rapid treatment, that is, when it is not possible to wait for the production of antibodies by our body.
THE serum production it is performed in the body of another living being, which is usually a large mammal, such as a horse. This animal is injected, in controlled doses, with the antigen against which that organism must produce antibodies. Once the antibodies are produced, part of the animal's blood is removed and the plasma separated for quality control analysis. The removed red blood cells, leukocytes and platelets are put back into the animal.
The serum, unlike the vaccine, has no preventive function, being used only as a form of cure. It is also important to highlight that the frequent use of serums can cause health problems, since the body can identify serum antibodies as antigens and trigger the production of antibodies against he.
See the table below with the main differences between serum and vaccine:
VACCINE |
SERUM |
used in prevention |
used in healing |
Contains inactivated or attenuated antigen |
Contains antibodies previously produced in another organism |
active immunization |
passive immunization |
By Ma. Vanessa dos Santos