natural immunity
Body's own defenses
Natural immunity is protection against disease that develops from the body's own response to infection rather than from vaccination.
After recovering from an illness, the immune system often recognizes and fights that pathogen more effectively if encountered again: She had natural immunity to chickenpox after catching it as a child.
The term became politically charged during COVID-19 debates over vaccine mandates.
Resistance to failure
- disease resistanceCapacity to repel illness
- vitalityCapacity for spirited existence
- immunocompetenceFunctional immune system capacity
- self-healingAble to repair itself
Obstruction preventing passage
- skinBody's outer layer
- mucous membranesSlick tissue lining cavities
- phagocytesCells that engulf debris
- macrophagesLarge pathogen-engulfing immune cells
neutrophils · inflammation · interferon · cytokines · basophils · eosinophils · leukocytes · fever response
Good physical shape
- adaptationFitting to new conditions
- genetic resistanceInherited ability to withstand disease
- genetic diversityAllelic variation within populations
Proteins targeting pathogens
- T-cellsThymus-matured immune lymphocytes
- B-cellsAntibody-secreting immune cells
- memory cellsImmunity's long-term archive
- immunoglobulinDefensive blood protein
Limiting widespread disease transmission
- disease spreadPathogen movement between hosts
- public healthCommunity-level disease prevention
- infection rateSpeed of disease spread
- R-naughtDisease transmission multiplier
robustness
Resistance to failure
- disease resistanceCapacity to repel illness
- vitalityCapacity for spirited existence
- immunocompetenceFunctional immune system capacity
self-healing · homeostasis · regeneration · health maintenance · wellness
barrier
Obstruction preventing passage
- skinBody's outer layer
- mucous membranesSlick tissue lining cavities
- phagocytesCells that engulf debris
macrophages · neutrophils · inflammation · interferon · cytokines · basophils · eosinophils · leukocytes · fever response · toll-like receptors
fitness
Good physical shape
- adaptationFitting to new conditions
- genetic resistanceInherited ability to withstand disease
- genetic diversityAllelic variation within populations
antibodies
Proteins targeting pathogens
- T-cellsThymus-matured immune lymphocytes
- B-cellsAntibody-secreting immune cells
- memory cellsImmunity's long-term archive
epidemic control
Limiting widespread disease transmission
- disease spreadPathogen movement between hosts
- public healthCommunity-level disease prevention
- infection rateSpeed of disease spread
- pandemiclockdowns, COVID-19, outbreak, epidemic, COVID
- immunityantibodies, T cells, lymphocytes, white blood cells, vaccine
- immunity typesantibodies, vaccines, disease resistance, antitoxins, white blood cells
- immunologyantibodies, antigens, T cells, white blood cells, lymphocytes
- vaccinesvaccine, Pfizer, polio vaccine, Moderna, vaccines
- anti-vaccineanti-vax, anti-vaxxer, anti-vaxxers, vaccine refusal, vaccine hesitancy
natural immunityimmunization
Protective medical injection
passive immunity · inoculation · vaccination · medical intervention · immunotherapy
natural immunitysusceptibility
Liability to influence
immunodeficiency · immunosuppression · vulnerability · defenselessness · AIDS
natural, nature, naturally, naturalness, naturalize, naturalization, naturalized, unnatural, supernatural