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Traditionally in medicine, a vector is a living organism that
does not cause disease itself, but which spreads infection by
“carrying” pathogens (agents that do cause disease) from one host
to another.
A vaccine vector is a weakened or killed version of a virus or
bacterium that carries an inserted antigen (protein recognized by
the body as foreign) from a diseasecausing agent to the
vaccinee.
A vaccine vector delivers the antigen in a natural way into the
body and stimulates the immune system into acting against a “safe
infection”. The immune system is “fooled” into generating an immune
response (antibodies and cellular) against the antigen.
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