Why does vaccine protection sometimes decline over time?
Answer
The numbers of circulating memory cells slowly decrease, and antibody concentration wanes.
The gradual reduction in protection occurs because both the concentration of antibodies in the bloodstream naturally fades and the population of circulating memory cells decreases over extended periods.
Related Questions
What is the fundamental goal of vaccination regarding disease manifestation?What molecular structure introduced by a vaccine is recognized as foreign by the immune system?Where do antigen-presenting cells travel after engulfing vaccine material to show it to naïve cells?What cellular components are the biological archives responsible for long-term immunity?How quickly can effective antibody levels typically begin production during a secondary (anamnestic) response?What happens to the majority of B and T cells activated during the primary immune response after the perceived threat passes?What must an unvaccinated person's immune system do upon initial exposure to a real pathogen?What is the primary function of administering a booster shot?What measurement is often used by scientists to track long-term protection, reflecting the concentration of circulating antibodies?How does achieving immunity through natural infection compare to vaccination regarding associated risks?Why does vaccine protection sometimes decline over time?