Question

Immunity that develops in foetus after receiving antibodies from the mother's blood through the placenta is?

A) Naturally acquired active immunity

B) Artificially acquired active immunity

C) Naturally acquired passive immunity

D) Artificially acquired passive immunity

Answer 1

Natural immunity occurs through contact with a disease causing agent, when the contact was not deliberate, whereas artificial immunity develops only through deliberate actions of exposure. This vaccine stimulates a primary response against the particular antigen in the recipient without causing severe symptoms of the disease.

Complete answer:

Immunity:- The state of being immune from or insusceptible to a particular disease. The overall ability of the host to fight the disease-causing organisms, conferred by the immune system is called immunity. Immunity is of two types: (i) and (ii).

Two types of immunity

Innate immunity

Adaptive/acquired immunity

Innate immune: - Innate immunity is a non-specific type of defence that is present at the time of birth. This is accomplished by providing different types of barriers to the entry of the foreign agents into our body. The primary motive behind the innate immunity is to quickly stop the spread and development of unfamiliar microbes through the body. Innate immunity consist of four types of barriers: Physical, physiological, cellular and cytokine barrier.

Adaptive immune:-The adaptive immune response is specific to the pathogen presented. Acquired immunity, on the other hand, is pathogen specific. It is characterised by memory. This means that our body when it encounters a pathogen for the first time produces a response called primary response which is of low intensity. Subsequent encounters with the same pathogen elicits a highly intensified secondary or anamnestic response.

Artificial passive immunity: The immediate but short-term immunity provided by the injection of antibodies (such as gamma globulin) not produced by the recipient cells. These antibodies develop in another individual or animal and are then injected into another individual.

Naturally acquired passive immunity: To occur during pregnancy, where certain antibodies are passed from the maternal blood to the fetal bloodstream in the form of IgG. Antibodies are transferred from one person to another in natural ways, such as the prenatal and postnatal relationship between mother and child.

Artificially acquired active immunity: can be induced by vaccines, which are substances that contain antigens. Vaccines can trigger a major response to the antigen without causing disease symptoms (see Vaccinations.

Thus, the option (c) is the correct answer.

Note: The yellowish fluid colostrum secreted by mother during the initial days of lactation has abundant antibodies (IgA) to protect the infant. The foetus also receives some antibodies from their mother, through the placenta during pregnancy. These are some examples of passive immunity.