What type of immunity is provided by vaccines?

Vaccines provide active immunity, which occurs when a vaccine stimulates the body's immune system to produce its own antibodies against a specific pathogen. This process typically involves introducing a weakened or inactivated form of the pathogen, or a piece of it, into the body. The immune system recognizes this as foreign and mounts a response, leading to the production of antibodies and memory cells. As a result, when the individual is exposed to the actual pathogen in the future, their immune system can quickly and effectively respond because it has already been trained to recognize and attack it.

While passive immunity involves receiving antibodies directly from another source (like through maternal antibodies or an injection of immunoglobulin), natural immunity refers to the immunity that develops after an infection. Acquired immunity encompasses both active and passive immunity, but in the context of vaccines, the specific type provided is classified as active immunity due to the immune system's proactive engagement in antibody production.