Definition
Immune stimulation refers to enhancing the immune response to fight infections, cancers, and immune deficiencies.
Methods of Immune Stimulation
Vaccination
Live-attenuated vaccines (e.g., MMR, polio) → Strong immune response.
Inactivated vaccines (e.g., Hepatitis A, influenza) → Safe but less potent.
Subunit/conjugate vaccines (e.g., HPV, pneumococcus) → Only antigenic parts of the pathogen.
Cytokine Therapy
Interferons (IFN-α, IFN-γ) boost antiviral and anti-cancer immunity.
Interleukin-2 (IL-2) enhances T-cell proliferation in cancer therapy.
Immune Adjuvants
Aluminum salts in vaccines increase antigen uptake by immune cells.
BCG vaccine (for TB) is also used to stimulate immune response in bladder cancer.
