Lexic.us

Definition of Passive immunity

1. Noun. An impermanent form of acquired immunity in which antibodies against a disease are acquired naturally (as through the placenta to an unborn child) or artificially (as by injection of antiserum).

Definition of Passive immunity

1. Noun. (context: immunology) The translocation of active humoral immunity from one individual to another in the form of custom-made antibodies. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Medical Definition of Passive immunity

1. Immunity acquired by the transfer from another animal of antibody or sensitised lymphocytes. Passive transfer of antibody from mother to offspring is important for immune defense during the perinatal period. This entry appears with permission from the Dictionary of Cell and Molecular Biology (11 Mar 2008)

Literary usage of Passive immunity

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Preventive Medicine and Hygiene by Milton Joseph Rosenau, George Chandler Whipple, John William Trask, Thomas William Salmon (1921)
"passive immunity, or transferred immunity, is mainly antitoxic immunity. ... passive immunity is so called for the reason that the antibodies (antitoxin) ..."

2. Pathological physiology of internal diseases by Albion Walter Hewlett (1916)
"Numerous attempts have been made to establish a passive immunity against those ... A special form of passive immunity is that which is conferred by the ..."

3. A Practical Text-book of Infection, Immunity, and Specific Therapy: With by John Albert Kolmer (1915)
"passive immunity is specific, that is, the serum of an animal immunized against one microorganism will protect a second animal against that and against ..."

4. Monographic Medicine by Albion Walter Hewlett, Henry Leopold Elsner (1916)
"When immunity results from such an injection it is spoken of as a passive immunity. In contradistinction to active immunity this type develops almost ..."

5. The Pathology and Differential Diagnosis of Infectious Diseases of Animals by Veranus Alva Moore (1916)
"Active and passive immunity. Acquired immunity may be active or passive. ... passive immunity is produced by the injection of the serum or antitoxin of ..."

6. Immunity in Infective Diseases by Elie Metchnikoff (1907)
"As in the study of the immunity obtained as the result of vaccinations with micro-organisms or their products, so in "passive immunity" there was seen only ..."

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