RLC13107C01 Developing a Vaccine: Rotavirus

1. Have you ever had gastroenteritis (also commonly called gastro, stomach bug, stomach flu)? What
can you remember – can you recall how long ago it was, the symptoms, how long it took to get better,
what the treatment was? Were any of your family and friends also affected? Was anyone hospitalised
for further treatment?

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2. Individually or in a group can you complete the table with as many diseases as you can think of and
the pathogen that causes them

Disease Pathogen

Gastroenteritis Rotavirus

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Disease and Treatment collection
For the complete video collection including additional resources go to www.vea.com.au
Reproducing these additional resources
You may download and print one copy of these additional resources from our website or ClickView for your reference.
Further copying or printing must be reported to CAL as per the Copyright Act 1968.
© VEA Group Pty Ltd 2013
RLC13107C01 Developing a Vaccine: Rotavirus

3. Vaccination started with Edward Jenner in 1796 but before that there was a practice called variolation
or inoculation. Find out more about this. How is it different to vaccination?

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4. Imagine you have invented a drug/therapy that could cure the common cold. Outline how would you
go about showing that it is effective and causes no harm.

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5. The special guest in this clip Professor Ruth Bishop was given the Florey medal in 2013 in recognition
of her work in identifying rotavirus and developing a vaccine against it. What is the Florey medal? Who
else has received it in the past? What are the purposes of this award and others like it in society?

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6. Debate the pros and cons of vaccination. Research the controversy around vaccination in developed
countries and conduct a debate. Where do you stand?

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2
Disease and Treatment collection
For the complete video collection including additional resources go to www.vea.com.au
Reproducing these additional resources
You may download and print one copy of these additional resources from our website or ClickView for your reference.
Further copying or printing must be reported to CAL as per the Copyright Act 1968.
© VEA Group Pty Ltd 2013
RLC13107C01 Developing a Vaccine: Rotavirus

Suggested Student Responses

1. Have you ever had gastroenteritis (also commonly called gastro, stomach bug, stomach flu)? What
can you remember – can you recall how long ago it was, the symptoms, how long it took to get better,
what the treatment was? Were any of your family and friends also affected? Was anyone hospitalised
for further treatment?
Answers will vary

2. Individually or in a group can you complete the table with as many diseases as you can think of and
the pathogen that causes them
Answers will vary but may include:

Disease Pathogen

Gastroenteritis Rotavirus

Stomach ulcers Helicobacter pylori

Legionnaire's Disease Legionella pneumophila

Food bone illness, typhoid fever Salmonella

Chickenpox Varicella zoster virus

3. Vaccination started with Edward Jenner in 1796 but before that there was a practice called variolation
or inoculation. Find out more about this. How is it different to vaccination?
Variolation was the practice of deliberately infecting someone with the live Variola (or
smallpox) virus in a controlled way to minimise the effects of the infection and create immunity
to future infections. More generally, the process of deliberately infecting someone to produce
immunity is called inoculation.
The process can be traced back to India and China, and was introduced into Europe in the
early 18th century
Vaccination differs in that it usually uses a dead or inactive form of the disease.

4. Imagine you have invented a drug/therapy that could cure the common cold. Outline how would you
go about showing that it is effective and causes no harm.
Answers will vary: See Making Medicines
http://www.abpischools.org.uk/page/modules/makingmedicines/makingmedicines1.cfm?coSite
Navigation_allTopic=1 for an overview of the whole process

3
Disease and Treatment collection
For the complete video collection including additional resources go to www.vea.com.au
Reproducing these additional resources
You may download and print one copy of these additional resources from our website or ClickView for your reference.
Further copying or printing must be reported to CAL as per the Copyright Act 1968.
© VEA Group Pty Ltd 2013
RLC13107C01 Developing a Vaccine: Rotavirus

5. The special guest in this clip Professor Ruth Bishop was given the Florey medal in 2013 in recognition
of her work in identifying rotavirus and developing a vaccine against it. What is the Florey medal? Who
else has received it in the past? What are the purposes of this award and others like it in society?
The Florey medal is an Australian award for researchers in biomedical sciences. It is named
after the Australian Nobel Laureate Howard Florey, who was involved in developing penicillin.
Previous winners include: Graeme Clarke (2011) for his work on the bionic ear and Ian Frazer
(2006) for developing a cervical cancer vaccine.
Students can offer their own explanation of the purpose of this and similar awards.

6. Debate the pros and cons of vaccination. Research the controversy around vaccination in developed
countries and conduct a debate. Where do you stand?
Answers will vary

4
Disease and Treatment collection
For the complete video collection including additional resources go to www.vea.com.au
Reproducing these additional resources
You may download and print one copy of these additional resources from our website or ClickView for your reference.
Further copying or printing must be reported to CAL as per the Copyright Act 1968.
© VEA Group Pty Ltd 2013