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GCSE Biology · key term
Protection against a particular pathogen resulting from the immune system's ability to respond rapidly when it is encountered again.
Used by AQA, Edexcel and OCR
Specification 4.3.1.7 · Paper 1
The ability to respond quickly to a particular pathogen following previous exposure to its antigens.
Revise: VaccinationThis population effect is called herd immunity. It can indirectly protect people who are not immune, including some people who cannot be vaccinated. Imagine a chain in which one infected person would otherwise transmit a pathogen to several others.
Specification 5.14 · Paper 1
The ability to respond rapidly to a pathogen's antigens following an earlier exposure, helping to prevent disease.
Specification B6.3l, B6.3o · Paper 2 (Foundation), Paper 4 (Higher)
The ability to respond quickly to a pathogen's antigen after an earlier exposure to it.
Revise: Immune system roleThe pathogen may be removed before it causes noticeable illness. This faster response on later exposure is immunity to that pathogen. It depends on recognising its antigens, so immunity to one pathogen does not mean immunity to all pathogens.
Protection against a particular pathogen, allowing the body to respond rapidly when it is encountered again.
Paper 1 (Foundation), Paper 2 (Foundation), Paper 3 (Higher), Paper 4 (Higher)
Revise: Immune System RoleThe pathogen may be removed before it causes noticeable disease. This protection is called immunity.
Protection against a particular pathogen because the immune system can respond rapidly when it encounters that pathogen again.
Distinguish individual immunity from herd immunity: vaccination prepares one person's immune system, whereas widespread immunisation reduces transmission through the population.
Herd immunity reduces risk; it does not guarantee that every unvaccinated person is protected or make them individually immune.
When explaining immunity, link memory cells to a faster response on later exposure to the same antigen.
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