Question

What do you mean by active and passive immunization?

Answer 1

Active immunity involves your bodies direct response to an unknown pathogen. This response is the production of antibodies specific to the antigen of a particular pathogen. This type of immunity is not immediate as it takes time to have create enough of the correct antibodies to fight the pathogen. However, the response lasts for a long period of time and in some cases, where antibodies remain in the body as memory cells, immunity to the specific pathogen may be life long. Conversely, passive immunity is an immune response which involves antibodies obtained from outside the body. An example of this is the antibodies a mother passes to her infant through her breastmilk. Immunity to the pathogens which these antibodies are specific to is therefore immediate, as no time is needed to create them. However, this immunity is not long term and may only last a few days. Passive and active immunity both have natural and artificial forms. So, for example the natural form of passive immunity is antibodies transferred in breast milk as mentioned, however an artificial form of passive immunity is the use of antidotes such as that for rabies where specific antibodies are injected into an infected individual. Additionally, the natural form of active immunity is the normal process of an individual contracting an infection and their immune system responding, conversely the artificial form of active immunity is immunization, where an individual is deliberately exposed to a weakened form of a particular pathogen in order to elicit an immune response.

Answer 2

ACTIVE IMMUNISATION :- It promotes the production of circulating antibodies against foreign antigens by injecting small quantity of , modified antigen into the bloodstream .

PASSIVE IMMUNISATION :- It is the application of antibodies from an Immune individual to non-immune patient . This treatment is when an individual has been , or probably will be , exposed to an infectious disease and there is insufficient time for active immunisation .