Term |
Definition |
Example |
active immunity |
immunity acquired actively, as when exposure to a vaccine induces formation of antibodies that mark foreign substances for destruction |
DPT immunization
exposure to an upper respiratory virus |
passive immunity |
immunity transferred to the patient "passively,"rather than formed by the patient himself; usually in the form of antibody protein substances |
gamma-globulin injections for immunodeficient patients
maternal immunity to infections transferred via the bloodstream prior to delivery or in breast milk |
cellular immunity |
produced by the T-cell lymphocyte white cells of the body; basically, T-cells remember exposure, and tell the B-cells to make the antibodies |
life-long immunity to chickenpox after childhood infection |
humoral immunity |
produced by the B-cell lymphocyte white cells of the body; B-cells produce antibodies ("humors") upon direction from the T-cells |
expectant mothers are tested for their antibody levels to rubella to determine if they are immune |
herd immunity |
protection of any one individual from a disease by the fact that everyone around him is immune to the disease and thus he can never be exposed directly |
herd immunity is the principal behind rubella immunization: if all the kids who could possibly transmit the disease to expectant mothers are immune, the expectant mothers will be protected even if their antibodies are low |