Which of the following is an example of an inactivated vaccine?

Inactivated vaccines are those that contain pathogens that have been killed or inactivated so that they can no longer cause disease. This type of vaccine stimulates an immune response without causing illness.

The polio vaccine (IPV) is an example of an inactivated vaccine because it contains killed poliovirus, which allows the immune system to recognize and respond to the virus without the risk of causing poliomyelitis. This is crucial for effective immunization, as it provides protection while ensuring safety.

In contrast, the measles, mumps, and human papillomavirus vaccines are live attenuated or recombinant vaccines. The measles and mumps vaccines use a weakened form of the virus, while the human papillomavirus vaccine is a recombinant vaccine, which means it uses a virus-like particle to elicit an immune response without the use of live virus. Thus, they do not fall under the category of inactivated vaccines, reinforcing why the polio vaccine is correctly identified as an example of this type.