Which statement correctly pairs a vaccine with its primary disease target?

Which statement correctly pairs a vaccine with its primary disease target?

• A. Varicella targets polio.
• B. Hepatitis B targets influenza.
• C. HPV targets measles.
• D. MMR targets measles, mumps, rubella; influenza vaccines targets seasonal flu.

Answer: (D)

Understanding which vaccines protect against which diseases helps explain why this pairing is correct. The MMR vaccine is designed to protect against three separate diseases—measles, mumps, and rubella—so stating that it targets those illnesses fits how the vaccine is used. Influenza vaccines are formulated to protect against the seasonal influenza viruses that circulate each year, so their target is the seasonal flu as well. The other options mix up which disease each vaccine prevents—for example, varicella vaccine is for chickenpox, not polio; Hepatitis B vaccine is for hepatitis B, not influenza; HPV vaccine protects against human papillomavirus, not measles. Thus, the pairing that links MMR with measles, mumps, rubella and influenza vaccines with seasonal flu is the correct one.

Understanding which vaccines protect against which diseases helps explain why this pairing is correct. The MMR vaccine is designed to protect against three separate diseases—measles, mumps, and rubella—so stating that it targets those illnesses fits how the vaccine is used. Influenza vaccines are formulated to protect against the seasonal influenza viruses that circulate each year, so their target is the seasonal flu as well. The other options mix up which disease each vaccine prevents—for example, varicella vaccine is for chickenpox, not polio; Hepatitis B vaccine is for hepatitis B, not influenza; HPV vaccine protects against human papillomavirus, not measles. Thus, the pairing that links MMR with measles, mumps, rubella and influenza vaccines with seasonal flu is the correct one.