Types of immunity Active or Passive Active immunity

Types of immunity

Active or Passive �Active immunity is when the body makes it’s own antibodies to fight disease �Passive is when the body is given the antibodies by it’s mother through the umbilical cord or breast milk or injection (eg. The flu jab)

Acquired immunity �All immunity we get after birth is called acquired �It can be natural (biology) or artificial (medical science) �It can be passive when we don’t make our own antibodies or active when we do

Active immunity �Natural active immunity is when we make our own antibodies in response to an infection �Artificial active immunity is when we make antibodies ourselves in response to a weakened or dead bacterium (with some intact antigens) being introduced in a solution by injection or sometimes other means.

Passive immunity �We don’t produce any antibodies ourselves �Passive natural immunity happens when we are very young babies either in the womb (when antibodies pass through the umbilical cord) or via breast milk. This immunity lasts about 4 months that is why babies have injections at about 3 months as they dont yet have a strong immune system

Passive artificial immunity �Again we don’t make any antibodies. �They are injected in a serum produced from the antibodies of people who have become immune to a disease or animals. �Sometimes to avoid allergic reactions to animal serum, they are produced in a laboratory having been grown in vitro (glass such as test-tube, petri dish etc)