Naturally acquired, active immunity refers to the immunity that the body develops after being exposed to a pathogen. An example of this type of immunity is:
- Getting chicken pox from a friend
In this scenario, when a person is exposed to the chicken pox virus by being around a friend who has the illness, their immune system responds by producing antibodies to fight off the virus. This immune response leads to the person becoming immune to chicken pox in the future.
Receiving a measles vaccination, on the other hand, falls under artificially acquired, active immunity. When a person receives a vaccine containing a weakened or inactive form of the measles virus, their immune system learns to recognize and attack the virus without causing the illness. This results in the person becoming immune to measles.
Receiving an injection of gamma globulin provides passive immunity, where antibodies are directly introduced into the body to provide immediate but temporary protection against a specific pathogen.
Gaining antibodies from breast milk is an example of naturally acquired, passive immunity. Newborn babies receive antibodies from their mother's breast milk, which helps protect them from infections until their own immune system matures.
In summary, naturally acquired, active immunity occurs when the body responds to a pathogen by producing its antibodies, as seen in the case of getting chicken pox from a friend.
