Final answer:
The statement that viruses are used to produce vaccines for the prevention of certain viral infections is true. Vaccines work by stimulating the immune system to develop immunity without causing the actual disease and include live, killed, or subunit virus-based varieties.
Step-by-step explanation:
True: Viruses are indeed used to produce vaccines for the prevention of certain viral infections. This prevention strategy is considered the primary method of controlling viral diseases. Vaccines work by stimulating the body's immune system to build up immunity to a specific virus or virus family, hence protecting against future infection without causing the disease. There are several types of vaccines, including those that use weakened live viruses, killed viruses, or molecular subunits of the virus. While live virus vaccines often provide stronger and longer-lasting immunity, they carry a small risk of causing the disease.
Killed viral vaccines and subunit vaccines do not have the ability to cause disease and are generally considered safe. Importantly, there's no valid evidence that vaccinations contribute to conditions such as autism. Besides preventing diseases, vaccines may also boost the immune system's performance during an active viral infection. In addition to vaccines, antiviral drugs are also used in treating viral infections, though with mixed results depending on the type of virus. Furthermore, vaccines have enabled a significant reduction in morbidity and mortality from viral infections such as polio, measles, mumps, and rubella.
In the field of genetic engineering, vaccines can also be produced using recombinant DNA technology, which is used to create most new vaccines today. This technology allows for the mass production of vaccine components, contributing to the development of effective preventatives for viral diseases.