What type of mechanism does attenuated vaccine usage primarily rely on?

Attenuated vaccines primarily rely on the mechanism of weakening the pathogen over generations to reduce its virulence. This process involves taking a live pathogen and altering it so that it can still provoke an immune response without causing the disease in a healthy individual. By doing this, the immune system can recognize and remember the pathogen, producing a strong and lasting immune response without the risks associated with the actual disease.

Using an attenuated vaccine means that the immune system effectively learns to fight the real pathogen due to the altered version, resulting in long-term immunity. This contrasts with other methods, such as using only toxins or direct antibody injections, which do not generate the same robust, long-lasting immunity as an attenuated vaccine does.