A vaccine administered in the autumn of one year may protect against the prevalent strain of influenza virus that originated in Hong Kong that same year,but it will not protect against another strain of influenza virus that originated in Russia.This phenomenon illustrates which property of the adaptive immune system?
A)Specificity
B)Amnesia
C)Specialization
D)Cultural diversity
E)Self-tolerance

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Adaptive immune responses are highly specific for distinct molecular structures,which may be present in a vaccine and be produced by one strain of virus but not by a closely related strain.Amnesia,although generally not used in immunology,implies lack of memory,but the efficacy of the vaccine against the Hong Kong strain implies it has induced memory.The same effector mechanisms would be required to combat different strains of influenza,and therefore failure of a vaccine to protect against two different strains of virus is not related to specialization of effector functions.

A Vaccine Administered in the Autumn of One Year May