Which term describes immunity acquired by receiving antibodies from another individual?

• A. Passive immunity
• B. Active immunity
• C. Vaccination
• D. Inflammation

Answer: (A)

Passive immunity is immunity acquired by receiving antibodies from another individual or from maternal transfer. This provides immediate protection because the body doesn’t have to make its own antibodies or memory cells; the donor antibodies act right away. But it’s temporary, since the borrowed antibodies eventually degrade and no memory is formed for future encounters. In contrast, active immunity happens when the body’s own immune system encounters an antigen and builds its own antibodies plus memory cells, which tends to last longer. Vaccination aims to invoke this active response in a controlled way. Inflammation, meanwhile, is part of the body's general, non-specific defense and does not involve acquiring antibodies from another person.