| general immunity | Immunity associated with widely diffused mechanisms that tend to protect the body as a whole, as compared with local immunity. (05 Mar 2000) |
|---|---|
| maternal immunity | <epidemiology> Immunity for a neonate provided by IgG antibody generated by a mother and passed across the placenta to the unborn offspring. This provides short lived protection (with a typical half life of 3-6 months) to the neonate. Also known as immunity. (05 Dec 1998) |
| passive immunity | <immunology> 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. (18 Nov 1997) |
| relative immunity | A modified, not completely effective resistance that results when there is a sort of "fluctuating equilibrium" between the defense mechanisms of the host and the infective agent. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cell-mediated immunity | <immunology> Immune response that involves effector T lymphocytes and not the production of humoral antibody. Responsible for allograft rejection, delayed hypersensitivity and in defence against viral infection and intracellular protozoan parasites. (26 Mar 1998) |
| cellular immunity | <cell biology, immunology> Immune response that involves enhanced activity by phagocytic cells and does not imply lymphocyte involvement. Since the term is easily confused with cell-mediated immunity its use in this sense should be avoided. (26 Mar 1998) |
| cellular immunity deficiency syndrome | <syndrome> A syndrome marked by increased susceptibility to infection, especially to viral infection, associated with defective functioning of the mechanism responsible for acquired immunity of the cell-mediated kind. See: immunodeficiency. (05 Mar 2000) |
| group immunity | <immunology> Resistance of a group to a pathogen due to immunity of a large proportion of the group to that pathogen. (09 Oct 1997) |
| concomitant immunity | The paradoxical immune status in which resistance to reinfection coincides with the persistence of the original infection. Synonym: concomitant immunity. (05 Mar 2000) |
| herd immunity | <immunology> Resistance of a group to a pathogen due to immunity of a large proportion of the group to that pathogen. (09 Oct 1997) |
| humoral immunity | <immunology> A form of immunity whereby B lymphocytes and plasma cells produce antibodies to foreign agents (antigens) and stimulate T lymphocytes to attack them (cellular immunity). These antibodies also stimulate the release of chemical mediators (for example interferon, complement) which enhance antigen destruction. (06 Mar 1998) |
| specific active immunity | See: acquired immunity. (05 Mar 2000) |
| specific immunity | The immune status in which there is an altered reactivity directed solely against the antigenic determinants (infectious agent or other) that stimulated it. See: acquired immunity. (05 Mar 2000) |
| specific passive immunity | See: acquired immunity. (05 Mar 2000) |
| stress immunity | Insusceptibility or resistance to the effects of emotional strain. (05 Mar 2000) |