BLOOD

AND
DEFENCE AGAINST DISEASE
(Part 2)
Objective:
- Explain how the principles of immunisation are used in the control of
communicable diseases: natural and artificial immunity, vaccines

References:
Form 4 Biology Biology for CSEC Exams. – L. Chinnery (Chap. 16)
2020-2021: 2nd term (online) Biology for CSEC Exams. – Atwaroo-Ali (Chap. 13)
Dr. S. Ali.
CSEC Biology – A. Tindale
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Recall: The Role of White Blood Cells

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Immunity
• Immunity is the temporary or permanent resistance to a
disease, (due to the production of an immune response).

• The immunity that you develop during your lifetime is

called Acquired or Adaptive Immunity.

• There are two main types: Natural and Artificial, which

are further classified as active and passive.
▫ Natural actively acquired immunity
▫ Natural passively acquired immunity
▫ Artificial actively acquired immunity
▫ Artificial passively acquired immunity
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Natural Actively Acquired Immunity

• Recall: When a person is infected by a pathogenic disease,
lymphocytes produce specific antibodies in response to the foreign
antigens in the body.

• Production of the antibodies takes time and the pathogens produce

symptoms of the disease before being destroyed.

• When the person recovers, the antibodies disappear from the blood,
but leaves lymphocyte memory cells that remember the specific
antigens.

• If the specific antigen infects the body a second time, the memory
lymphocytes immediately recognise the antigen and rapidly
produce large amounts of specific antibodies before the person
develops any symptoms.

• The person becomes immune to the disease. This is called natural

actively acquired immunity.
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Natural Actively Acquired Immunity

Antibody production during acquisition of immunity
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Natural Passively Acquired Immunity

• A baby gains immunity by receiving antibodies from
the mother:
▫ Pass across the placenta before birth
▫ From breast milk during breast feeding

• Immunity is short-lived.
▫ Antibodies gradually disappear from the baby’s blood
▫ Baby’s lymphocytes were not involved in producing
antibodies.

• This is natural passively acquired immunity.

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Artificial Actively Acquired Immunity

• Vaccination is employed. (Immunisation)
▫ A vaccine may be injected or orally administered. Used to control the
spread of
• A vaccine may contain small amounts of: pathogenic
▫ Weakened (attenuated) pathogens (communicable)
▫ Dead pathogens diseases
▫ Toxins from the pathogens that have been made harmless
▫ Fragments of the pathogen
▫ Specific antigens from the coat of the pathogen

• Vaccines do not cause the disease. The body’s lymphocytes are still able to
make specific antibodies in response to the specific antigens which are
present in the vaccine. Lymphocyte memory cells are also produced so
that an immune response can be elicited if the pathogen enters the body a
second time.

• Some artificial immunity may last a short time (e.g. typhoid – lasts 3
years), or a lifetime (e.g. rubella).

• This is artificial actively acquired immunity.

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Artificial Passively Acquired Immunity

• This is also acquired by vaccination. (via injection)

• A vaccine contains ready-made antibodies (usually

antitoxins).

• Vaccines provide an immediate source of antibodies and

rapid relief by destroying the antigens.

• Immunity is short-lived, as antibodies gradually disappear

from the blood.

• This is artificial passively acquired immunity.

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Summary of the Body’s Main Lines of Defence

Non-specific, Non-specific, Specific,

External barriers Internal defences Internal defences
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Practice Questions
1. Briefly describe the four types of acquired
immune responses. (8)

2. Why does active immunity last longer than

passive immunity? (2)

• Home work - Complete reading (if you have not done so already)
▫ Chinnery pgs. 298-305
▫ Atwaroo pgs. 151-155