Question

A 6-year-old male is brought to his pediatrician's office with chickenpox. He has had symptoms for one week, and his mother is concerned about the patient's 8-year-old sister because she had a long, painful chickenpox infection 2 years prior. Of note, the patient was not vaccinated against chickenpox because his parents did not think it was a serious enough virus to warrant the pain of the injection.

which form of acquired immunity is the patient developing by having this infection?

if the patient's mother had previously vaccinated her son against chickenpox, what form of immunity would be have against the virus?

the patient's mother expresses concern about his sister being reinfected with chickenpox and ask if she should get the vaccine.shoud she? why or why not?

Answer 1

A child developing chickenpox gains naturally acquired active immunity, while vaccination leads to artificially acquired active immunity. The sister, having had chickenpox before, likely has lifetime immunity, but vaccination needs should be discussed with a healthcare provider.

Step-by-step explanation:

The 6-year-old male developing chickenpox is acquiring naturally acquired active immunity by undergoing the infection. This type of immunity occurs when a person is exposed to a live pathogen, develops the disease, and then develops immunity against future infections.

If the patient had been vaccinated against chickenpox, he would have developed artificially acquired active immunity. This form of immunity is obtained through the introduction of a vaccine into the body, which contains either a weakened or dead form of the pathogen, or a part of the pathogen. Vaccination prompts the immune system to respond and establish immune memory without causing the actual disease.

Regarding the patient's sister, who has already had chickenpox, it is generally not recommended to vaccinate individuals who have had chickenpox in the past as they typically acquire a lifetime immunity to the virus. However, there may be exceptions depending on individual health situations, so it's best to discuss this with her healthcare provider to make an informed decision.