What distinguishes active immunity from passive immunity?

What distinguishes active immunity from passive immunity?

• A. Active immunity involves medication, while passive does not
• B. Active immunity results from exposure or vaccination, while passive is from antibodies
• C. Active immunity is short-term; passive is long-term
• D. Active immunity is acquired through lifestyle changes

Answer: (B)

Active immunity is characterized by the body’s own immune response to a pathogen or through vaccination, which leads to the production of antibodies and memory cells that help protect against future infections. When an individual is exposed to a disease or receives a vaccine, their immune system is stimulated to produce a tailored response to that specific pathogen. This process builds immunity that can last for years or even a lifetime, as the immune system 'remembers' how to combat that specific pathogen. On the other hand, passive immunity is conferred by the transfer of preformed antibodies from another individual, which does not involve the recipient's own immune system actively creating antibodies. This type of immunity can occur naturally, as in the case of antibodies passed from mother to child through breast milk, or artificially, such as through antibody treatments. Passive immunity provides immediate but temporary protection, typically lasting only weeks to months since the recipient's immune system does not form its own long-lasting defenses. This distinction is crucial in understanding how different forms of immunity work and the implications for vaccine development and public health.

Active immunity is characterized by the body’s own immune response to a pathogen or through vaccination, which leads to the production of antibodies and memory cells that help protect against future infections. When an individual is exposed to a disease or receives a vaccine, their immune system is stimulated to produce a tailored response to that specific pathogen. This process builds immunity that can last for years or even a lifetime, as the immune system 'remembers' how to combat that specific pathogen.

On the other hand, passive immunity is conferred by the transfer of preformed antibodies from another individual, which does not involve the recipient's own immune system actively creating antibodies. This type of immunity can occur naturally, as in the case of antibodies passed from mother to child through breast milk, or artificially, such as through antibody treatments. Passive immunity provides immediate but temporary protection, typically lasting only weeks to months since the recipient's immune system does not form its own long-lasting defenses.

This distinction is crucial in understanding how different forms of immunity work and the implications for vaccine development and public health.