What is the primary component of an inactivated polio vaccine?

The primary component of an inactivated polio vaccine is killed poliovirus. The inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) contains poliovirus that has been killed or inactivated, which means it cannot cause disease. This is achieved through a process that uses chemical agents, like formaldehyde, to render the virus non-infectious while still allowing it to elicit an immune response in the body.

When the inactivated virus is administered, the immune system recognizes the components of the killed virus and produces antibodies against it. This process helps protect individuals from future infections by the live poliovirus without the risk of developing polio as a result of vaccination.

In contrast, live poliovirus is a component of the live attenuated oral polio vaccine (OPV), which uses weakened forms of the virus. Recombinant protein and naked RNA are also concepts used in other types of vaccines, but they do not apply to the mechanism of the inactivated polio vaccine. These alternative vaccine technologies may offer different approaches to immunity but do not relate to the inactivated version of the polio vaccine.