Receiving a vaccination against a particular disease results in which of the following types of immunity?

Receiving a vaccination against a particular disease leads to active immunity. Active immunity occurs when an individual’s immune system is exposed to a pathogen (or parts of a pathogen, such as proteins in a vaccine) and subsequently responds by producing specific antibodies and memory cells. This process allows for a long-lasting defense against the disease, as the immune system is primed to recognize and combat future infections by the same pathogen.

Vaccinations typically contain weakened or inactivated forms of a virus or bacteria, or pieces of these pathogens, which stimulate a response without causing the disease itself. Over time, this exposure enables the body to develop a specific immune response, including memory cells that can quickly respond if re-exposed to the pathogen in the future.

In contrast, passive immunity involves the transfer of antibodies from one individual to another, offering immediate but short-term protection, which does not involve the recipient’s own immune response, as seen with maternal antibodies transferred to an infant through breastmilk. Humoral immunity and cell-mediated immunity are terms that refer to specific pathways of the immune response but do not directly capture the essence of receiving a vaccination, which primarily fosters active immunity through stimulation of the immune system.