Article
Article
Immunity
Article By:
Trowsdale, John Human Immunogenetics Laboratory, Imperial Cancer Research Fund, London, United Kingdom.
Last reviewed:June 2019
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.338100
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- Immunity, published June 2014:Download PDF
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A state of resistance to an agent—the pathogen—that normally produces an infection. Immunity is the condition of a living organism whereby it resists and overcomes an infection or a disease. Typical infectious pathogens include microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses, as well as larger parasites. The immune response (Fig. 1) that generates immunity is also responsible in some situations for allergies, delayed hypersensitivity states, autoimmune diseases, and transplant rejection. See also: Allergy; Autoimmunity; Infection; Pathogen; Transplantation biology
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