acquired immunity

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Definition

Noun: * Acquired immunity: A type of immunity to a specific disease that is not present from birth but is developed by an individual during their lifetime. This protection is gained through the body's adaptive immune system, which learns to recognize and defend against specific pathogens.

Usage

This term is used in medical, biological, and public health contexts to describe immunity that is developed after exposure to a disease-causing agent or through medical intervention. * It is often contrasted with innate immunity, which is the general, non-specific protection one is born with. * It can be discussed in terms of how it is acquired: naturally (from infection) or artificially (from vaccination).

Examples
  • Recovery from chickenpox typically provides acquired immunity against future infection by the same virus.
  • Vaccination is a safe and effective method for developing acquired immunity without having to suffer the illness.
  • The study focused on the strength and duration of acquired immunity following a COVID-19 infection.
Advanced Usage
  • Active acquired immunity: This results when the body produces its own antibodies in response to an antigen (from infection or vaccination). It is usually long-lasting.
    • The measles vaccine confers active acquired immunity.
  • Passive acquired immunity: This results from receiving antibodies produced by another source (e.g., from mother to fetus via the placenta, or through an injection of antibodies like immunoglobulin). This protection is temporary.
    • Newborns benefit from passive acquired immunity received from their mother.
Variants and Related Words
  • Immunity (n.): The general ability of an organism to resist a particular infection or toxin.
  • Immunization / Vaccination (n.): The process of inducing acquired immunity artificially by administering a vaccine.
  • Antibody (n.): A protein produced by the body's immune system to neutralize a specific pathogen.
  • Adaptive immunity (n.): A synonym often used in scientific literature, emphasizing the immune system's ability to adapt and remember specific pathogens.
Synonyms
  • Adaptive immunity
  • Specific immunity
  • Learned immunity
Antonyms
  • Innate immunity
  • Natural immunity (in the context of being born with it)
Related Phrases/Concepts
  • Herd immunity: A form of indirect protection that occurs when a large percentage of a population has become immune to an infection (often through acquired immunity), thereby providing protection for individuals who are not immune.
  • Immunological memory: The aspect of acquired immunity where the immune system remembers specific pathogens and can mount a faster, stronger response upon re-exposure.
Noun
  1. immunity to a particular disease that is not innate but has been acquired during life; immunity can be acquired by the development of antibodies after an attack of an infectious disease or by a pregnant mother passing antibodies through the placenta to a fetus or by vaccination