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In biology, Immunity is the balanced state of multicellular organisms having adequate biological defenses to fight infection, disease, or other unwanted biological invasion, while having adequate tolerance to avoid allergy, and autoimmune.
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First, they allow our immune systems to respond quickly. Second, they are specific for the pathogen, so the immune response is ready the moment the pathogen is encountered see "Immunologic memory". But, the reality is that like our hearts and lungs, our immune system is constantly working to keep us healthy.

This effort is evidenced by the fact that our immune system generates grams of antibodies every single day! Vaccines contribute to active immunity by providing us with a controlled way to create an immune response.

Immunity Program

When a vaccine is introduced, our immune system treats it like any other exposure. Because vaccines are designed such that they do not cause illness, we gain the benefits of the exposure without the risks associated with fighting off a natural infection. We gain the immunity that follows surviving a natural infection without having to pay the price of natural infection. However, passive immunity is short-lived because the antibodies are not continually replenished as they would be in an individual whose immune system is responding directly.

Passive immunity can occur in a couple of ways:. Unborn and newly born babies are protected by antibodies from the maternal immune system. These antibodies are shared in two ways: across the placenta and in breast milk. In certain situations, antibodies obtained from animals, from other people, or synthesized in a laboratory can be used to treat individuals at risk of infections. For example, infants born to women infected with hepatitis B are treated with antibody preparations in addition to being vaccinated in an effort to protect them from also becoming infected with hepatitis B.

In another example, people bitten by some poisonous snakes may be treated with antivenom, a mixture of antibodies against the type of snake venom to which the person was exposed. Community immunity occurs when people are protected by those around them. This type of protection is indirect in that it does not involve physical components of immunity, such as antibodies, but rather results when a pathogen is less likely to infect a susceptible person because of the high numbers of protected people around them.

However, for some in our communities, such as those too young to be immunized or those with weakened immunity due to illness or treatment, community immunity is the only way they can be protected. We generally talk about community immunity from two perspectives — that of the community, commonly referred to as herd immunity, and that of the individual, commonly known as cocooning:.

When enough people in a community have been exposed to a pathogen, it cannot spread as easily. As more people become immune, the pathogen has a smaller pool of people to infect. Every part of your body, including your immune system, functions better when protected from environmental assaults and bolstered by healthy-living strategies such as these:. Don't smoke.

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Maintain a healthy weight. Take steps to avoid infection , such as washing your hands frequently and cooking meats thoroughly. Many products on store shelves claim to boost or support immunity. But the concept of boosting immunity actually makes little sense scientifically. In fact, boosting the number of cells in your body — immune cells or others — is not necessarily a good thing. For example, athletes who engage in "blood doping" — pumping blood into their systems to boost their number of blood cells and enhance their performance — run the risk of strokes.

Attempting to boost the cells of your immune system is especially complicated because there are so many different kinds of cells in the immune system that respond to so many different microbes in so many ways. Which cells should you boost, and to what number? So far, scientists do not know the answer. What is known is that the body is continually generating immune cells. Certainly it produces many more lymphocytes than it can possibly use.

The extra cells remove themselves through a natural process of cell death called apoptosis — some before they see any action, some after the battle is won. No one knows how many cells or what the best mix of cells the immune system needs to function at its optimum level. As we age, our immune response capability becomes reduced, which in turn contributes to more infections and more cancer. As life expectancy in developed countries has increased, so too has the incidence of age-related conditions.

While some people age healthily, the conclusion of many studies is that, compared with younger people, the elderly are more likely to contract infectious diseases and, even more importantly, more likely to die from them. Respiratory infections, influenza, and particularly pneumonia are a leading cause of death in people over 65 worldwide.

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No one knows for sure why this happens, but some scientists observe that this increased risk correlates with a decrease in T cells, possibly from the thymus atrophying with age and producing fewer T cells to fight off infection. Whether this decrease in thymus function explains the drop in T cells or whether other changes play a role is not fully understood.

Immunity and Pathogenesis Program

Others are interested in whether the bone marrow becomes less efficient at producing the stem cells that give rise to the cells of the immune system. A reduction in immune response to infections has been demonstrated by older people's response to vaccines. For example, studies of influenza vaccines have shown that for people over age 65, the vaccine is much less effective compared to healthy children over age 2. But despite the reduction in efficacy, vaccinations for influenza and S.

There appears to be a connection between nutrition and immunity in the elderly. A form of malnutrition that is surprisingly common even in affluent countries is known as "micronutrient malnutrition. Older people tend to eat less and often have less variety in their diets. One important question is whether dietary supplements may help older people maintain a healthier immune system. Older people should discuss this question with a physician who is well versed in geriatric nutrition, because while some dietary supplementation may be beneficial for older people, even small changes can have serious repercussions in this age group.

Like any fighting force, the immune system army marches on its stomach. Healthy immune system warriors need good, regular nourishment. Scientists have long recognized that people who live in poverty and are malnourished are more vulnerable to infectious diseases.

Whether the increased rate of disease is caused by malnutrition's effect on the immune system, however, is not certain.

There are still relatively few studies of the effects of nutrition on the immune system of humans, and even fewer studies that tie the effects of nutrition directly to the development versus the treatment of diseases. There is some evidence that various micronutrient deficiencies — for example, deficiencies of zinc, selenium, iron, copper, folic acid, and vitamins A, B6, C, and E — alter immune responses in animals, as measured in the test tube. However, the impact of these immune system changes on the health of animals is less clear, and the effect of similar deficiencies on the human immune response has yet to be assessed.

So what can you do? Examples of immunity in a Sentence They have developed immunity to the virus. First Known Use of immunity 14th century, in the meaning defined above. Learn More about immunity.

Immunity In Depth | Linus Pauling Institute | Oregon State University

Time Traveler for immunity The first known use of immunity was in the 14th century See more words from the same century. From the Editors at Merriam-Webster. Trending: Flynn Offers to Testify in Exchange for Immunity 'Exemption from a charge, duty, obligation, office, tax, imposition, penalty, or service'.


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Dictionary Entries near immunity immune response immune system immunist immunity immunization immunize immuno- See More Nearby Entries. Phrases Related to immunity diplomatic immunity. The Merriam-Webster. More Definitions for immunity. English Language Learners Definition of immunity. Kids Definition of immunity.

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