The term "multivalent vaccine" is commonly used to describe a single vaccine that is able to provide protection against multiple strains of a virus or multiple diseases. The spelling of the word can be broken down into its phonetic pronunciation using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The word is pronounced /mʌltiˈveɪlənt/ with the first syllable pronounced as "mull-tee" and the second syllable pronounced as "vay-lent." The final "e" sound in "vaccine" is pronounced as "uh." When written, the word is spelled with the prefix "multi-" meaning "many" and the suffix "-valent" meaning "having a valence or combining power."
A multivalent vaccine is a type of vaccine that is designed to provide protection against multiple strains or types of a particular pathogen. It contains a combination of antigens from different strains or serotypes of the same pathogen, or sometimes even different pathogens altogether. This vaccine is formulated to stimulate the immune system to produce a response against each of the included strains or serotypes, thereby offering broad-spectrum protection.
By incorporating multiple strains or types, multivalent vaccines can help prevent diseases caused by various variants or subtypes of a pathogen. For example, a multivalent influenza vaccine may contain antigens from different influenza virus strains that are expected to circulate in a particular season. This allows individuals to develop immunity against several strains and provides a higher likelihood of protection, even if a strain not included in the vaccine begins to circulate.
Moreover, multivalent vaccines also contribute to reducing the cost, resources, and number of vaccine doses required to protect against multiple strains or types of a pathogen. It simplifies the vaccination process by allowing individuals to receive a single injection, which in turn improves compliance and accessibility to vaccination programs.
In summary, a multivalent vaccine offers comprehensive protection against different strains or types of a pathogen, enhances population health security by covering a broader range of variants, and simplifies the vaccination process by including multiple antigens in a single formulation.
• A bacterial vaccine made from killed cultures of several strains of the same microorganism.
• Polyvalent v.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The etymology of the word "multivalent" traces back to the Latin roots "multi-" meaning "many" and "valentia" meaning "power" or "capacity". "Multivalent" refers to something that has multiple or many values, powers, or capacities.
In the context of vaccines, a "multivalent vaccine" is one that contains multiple components or antigens, providing protection against several different strains or types of a particular pathogen. This term emphasizes the vaccine's ability to target and protect against multiple variants or diseases simultaneously.