Final answer:
Active immunity is developed after exposure to a pathogen or through vaccination, stimulating an individual's immune system to build a memory against it, whereas passive immunity involves the transfer of antibodies from another source for immediate, but temporary, protection. Vaccines confer artificial active immunity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Differences Between Active and Passive Immunity
Active immunity refers to the protection developed after exposure to a pathogen. In this case, an individual's own immune system is activated to fight the pathogen and build a memory against it, which provides long-term protection. This immunity can be acquired through natural infection or through vaccination (artificial active immunity), where the immune system is stimulated by a weakened or dead pathogen or by a piece of the pathogen (such as a protein).
Passive immunity, on the other hand, involves the transfer of antibodies from another person or animal. These antibodies provide immediate but temporary protection. Natural passive immunity occurs, for example, when antibodies are transferred from mother to child during breastfeeding. Artificial passive immunity can be achieved through the administration of immune globulins or antiserum, which contains antibodies produced by another person or animal.
The key difference between active and passive immunity is that active immunity involves an immune response triggered by the individual's own immune system, whereas passive immunity is acquired from another source and does not involve the individual's immune response. Vaccines confer artificial active immunity, stimulating the body to produce its own antibodies and memory cells without having to suffer through an initial infection.