Final answer:
Adaptive immunity is the correct answer, providing a permanent defense against a particular antigen and being triggered by vaccination. It leads to the development of immunological memory and can be acquired naturally through infection or artificially through vaccination. The correct option is C.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of immunity that is a permanent defense against a particular foreign antigen is C) Adaptive immunity. This immunity is acquired through exposure to a disease-causing agent or through vaccination. Active immunity is a form of adaptive immunity where the immune system produces antibodies in response to an antigen, either through infection or vaccination.
For instance, when a person is vaccinated, they experience artificially acquired active immunity. The vaccine introduces a killed or weakened pathogen, or its components, to the individual, leading to the development of immunological memory without the person having to suffer the symptoms of the disease.
There are different types of adaptive immunity, including both active and passive immunity. Active immunity involves the activation of an individual's own adaptive immune defenses and can be acquired naturally or artificially. In contrast, passive immunity is the transfer of adaptive immune defenses from another individual or animal, which can also be natural or artificial.
Vaccines are a crucial medical advancement that enables the induction of artificially acquired active immunity, offering protection against dangerous pathogens like smallpox, polio, measles, and whooping cough.