Assignment

1. What are the potential consequences of being a healthcare worker who is unresponsive to the hepatitis B vaccine?

2. For an HIV vaccine to be effective, it almost certainly will have to be a live attenuated virus. What is a major concern related to the use of this type of vaccine for HIV?

3. If an individual is immunocompromised, what might be the risk of giving a live attenuated virus vaccine (e.g., rubella)?

4. New and more effective antimicrobials are developed every year. Many of these are effective in treating common ailments such as bronchitis and sinusitis, as well as more serious systemic infections. What are some potential consequences of the development of new antimicrobials?

5. Why do you think that the United States and other nations have not yet distributed a vaccine to prevent the spread of avian flu? Are there any other factors you can think of that have contributed to this rise?