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Types of Vaccines

Last updated:

Overview

Live attenuated vaccines

Contain a weakened form of a pathogen to elicit an immune response. These should be avoided in people with immunocompromised states as this may risk infection occurring. Example vaccines include:

  • Intranasal influenza
  • MMR – measles, mumps, and rubella
  • Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG)
  • Oral rotavirus
  • Oral polio
  • Oral typhoid
  • Yellow fever

Inactivated vaccines

Contain pathogens that have been killed. Booster doses may be needed as they elicit weaker immune responses in general compared to live vaccines. Example vaccines include:

Toxoid vaccines

Also known as inactivated toxin vaccines, they contain antigens from deactivated toxins to elicit an immune response. They often require boosters as immunity wanes over time:

  • Tetanus
  • Pertussis
  • Diphtheria

Subunit vaccines

Contain part of a pathogen to elicit an immune response:

  • Hepatitis B
  • Human papillomavirus (HPV)

Conjugate vaccines

Contain part of a pathogen and other immunogenic bacterial polysaccharide proteins:

Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines

Contain mRNA which is used to produce proteins that elicit an immune response, such as the COVID-19 vaccines.

Immunisation Schedule

Routine Immunisations

In the UK, all children are entitled to free immunisations as highlighted below:

  • 2 months – 6-in-1 vaccine: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Hib, hepatitis B + oral rotavirus + meningitis B
  • 3 months – 6-in-1 + oral rotavirus + pneumococcal vaccine (PCV)
  • 4 months – 6-in-1 + meningitis B
  • 12-13 months – HiB/meningitis C + measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) + PCV + meningitis B
  • 2,3, 4 years – annual flu vaccine
  • 3 years and 4 months – 4-in-1: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio + MMR 
  • 12-13 years  – HPV vaccine in both boys and girls
  • 13-18 years –  3-in-1: tetanus, diphtheria, polio + meningitis ACWY

At-Risk Groups

Some children may be at an increased risk of certain diseases and may be offered additional immunisations as highlighted below:

  • At birth if tuberculosis risk is high – bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine

At birth if mother is hepatitis B positive – hepatitis B

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