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Fighting Viruses: What Is Passive Immunization?

Passive immunization and immunotherapy are particularly helpful for individuals who are immunocompromised and therefore cannot mount their own immune response. Passive immunization also works quickly, providing protection within hours or days, whereas vaccines can take weeks or months if boosting (more than one injection) is required. Unlike vaccination, however, passive immunization and immunotherapy do not result in immunological memory. Also, the transfer of antibodies from animals or other people can cause side effects including severe allergic reactions.

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Articles of Interest

Chasing A New Way To Prevent HIV: Passive Immunization

After decades of intense effort, an effective vaccine against HIV is not on the horizon — and, some say, may never be possible. So some AIDS researchers are going passive. As in passive immunization.

Passive Immunization

Passive immunization, passive immunity, and passive immunotherapy all refer to the transfer of antibodies to an unprotected individual for the prevention or treatment of disease. The first formal demonstration of passive immunization for successfully treating diphtheria and tetanus dates back to animal studies published in Deutsche Medizinische Wochenschrift (German Medical Journal) in 1890.

The Potential of Plasma and Passive Immunity

Convalescent plasma, one form of a treatment called passive immunization, has been used for more than a century to treat a wide variety of infections, including pneumonia, meningitis, measles, influenza and Ebola, but without clear evidence of safety and effectiveness.

Vaccinating mothers during pregnancy protects their babies from COVID

When a mother passes antibodies to her child, it’s known as passive immunity, and this can be generated by a mother being vaccinated or infected during pregnancy. It happens with COVID as it does with many other diseases.