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. 2015 Jun 1;1349:1–24. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-3008-1_1

Table 4.

Most recognizable pros and cons of inactivated and attenuated vaccines

Inactivated vaccines Attenuated vaccines
PROS CONS PROS CONS
No risk of infection May potentiate disease (paramyxovirus, lentivirus, coronavirus vaccines) Systemic and local immune activation. Humoral and cellular immune responses Presence of adventitious agents
No residual adventitious agents Parenteral administration (No mucosal immunity) Durable immunity May cause illness
Low rate of CTL responses Effective immunity May loose attenuation
Low immunity Low cost of production Spread to contacts
Need boosting doses Easy administration May loose infectivity
Expensive manufacturing Herd immunity (most if vaccine spreads)

Storage limited

Risk for pregnancy

Single dose administration Interference with live virus (preexisting immunity). Presence of defective interfering particles
Discrimination of vaccinates and infected animals more difficult
Immunosuppression