Q. Why are vaccines used in the prevention but not in the treatment of infections? Why can antivenom serums be used in prevention and treatment?
Vaccines are not used in the treatment of infections because they depend on the primary immune response that takes about a week to occur and is not so effective and intense. Antivenom serums however are inoculated into the used and circulation as an immediate treatment because they are made of a great amount of immunoglobulin (antibodies) which is potent against their respective specific venom.