Question

A client who was exposed to hepatitis A at a local restaurant has recovered from the disease. At her annual physical, the client asks the health care provider if she should go to her health department and get the hepatitis A "shot." The best response, based on the concepts of adaptive immunity, by the health care provider would be:

a) "I wouldn't since the vaccine can damage your liver."
b) "No, since having an active case, you have already developed antigens against hepatitis A."
c) "Of course. The virus changes every year."
d) "Yes, because you could get a worse case the next time you are exposed."

Answer 1

The correct response is "No, since having an active case, you have already developed antigens against hepatitis A," because recovery from an active hepatitis A infection results in the development of memory cells that provide long-term immunity, making further vaccination unnecessary.

Step-by-step explanation:

The best response based on the concepts of adaptive immunity to a client who has recovered from hepatitis A and asks about getting a hepatitis A "shot" would be option b), "No, since having an active case, you have already developed antigens against hepatitis A." This is because after an infection by the hepatitis A virus, the body's immune system produces memory cells that confer long-term immunity, eliminating the need for vaccination against the same virus. In the context of hepatitis A, once a person recovers from the active infection, their body has gone through a primary immune response and generated memory cells. These memory cells are specific to hepatitis A and provide immunity against future infections. Therefore, receiving a hepatitis A vaccination after recovery would be unnecessary. Vaccines simulate infection to trigger immunity without causing illness; however, if immunity is already established through natural infection, vaccination for the same pathogen is generally not required.