Difference Between Active And Passive Immunities
Every now and then we are hearing about people dying of several different kinds of old as well as new diseases caused by viral infections. Every now and then there is some new kind of virus that results in the spread of viral epidemic in one part of the world or the other. Scientist as well as medical practitioners has been always in the search of means so as to completely eradicate all the viruses that cause all the diseases in the world. They are always in the search of boosting the immunity of any individual so as to make them efficient to fight tall those viruses that attack them and also to prevent these viruses from causing any harm to that individual ever again.
So what is an immunity that we are talking about? Immunity refers to the individual’s capability to fight all the harmful external foreign micro-bodies and microorganisms that cause harm to our body, once they come into contact with it. The most primary and the basic type of immunity is provided to the body by the immune system of the individual by means of anti-bodies, that are produced against those external antigens that attack our bodies. These antibodies are different according to the type of immunity that needs to be provided to the individual.
The immunity of any individual is of two following major types:-
1. Active Immunity ( natural and artificial) and
2. Passive Immunity ( natural and artificial)
Several differences exist between these two types of immunities.
The first difference lies in the names of the immunities only. Active immunity is indicative of the active as well as direct immunity that is provided by the antibodies against any foreign antigens while Passive Immunity refers to the reactions that occur in the body of an infected individual against the antigens that enter into the body. These reactions as well as the formation of the antibodies happen only after the intrusion by the antigens.
Active-natural immunity refers to a condition where the body has the direct exposure to the foreign antigens (e.g. measles) and as a result of the antibodies thus formed, the body cells memorize the foreign antigens and thus the antibodies will prevent any further infection in the future from the same antigens.Artificial immunity refers to the artificial injecting of deactivated antigens of a particular disease into the body so as to trigger the formation of antibodies against that disease and thus making the body ready to fight against the antigens of the disease when they actually attack the body in activated form.
Passive immunity is something that the individual has from birth and the antibodies for the same need not be produced on infection of artificially. This type of immunity is passed on to one individual from other by human activities and a very good example of a natural kind of this type of immunity is the passive immunity passed on to the child from his mother. The antibodies providing passive immunity are at work 24X7 and prevent the individual from catching any kind of disease.
Summary:
1. Active immunity is obtained when the body comes in direct contact with the antigens of the disease.
2. Passive immunity refers to the immunity that the individual obtains from another individual without any role of the antigens.
3. Active Immunity is of two types- artificial and natural
4. Passive immunity is of two types too – natural and artificial