Community Health Nursing Practice Exam

Active immunity is the immunity that develops as a result of the body’s own immune response to pathogens or their components. It can be acquired naturally when a person is exposed to an infectious agent and develops an immune response, or artificially through vaccination, where a weakened or inactivated form of the pathogen is introduced to stimulate an immune response without causing the disease.

The statement regarding active immunity being attained via the use of vaccines is correct because vaccines contain antigens that mimic the pathogens, prompting the body to produce its own antibodies and activate T-cells, thus building an adaptive immune response. This acquired immunity through vaccines is a key aspect of disease prevention in public health and is foundational in community health nursing practices to safeguard communities against infectious diseases.

The other statements do not accurately represent the concept of active immunity. Herd immunity refers to the indirect protection from infectious disease resulting from a large percentage of a population becoming immune, typically through vaccination. Passive immunity, on the other hand, involves the transfer of antibodies to an individual from another source, such as breastfeeding or immunoglobulin therapy, and not through vaccination. Cross-immunity pertains to the immune response that protects against different but related pathogens, rather than the concept of active immunity itself.