The main differences between Innate & Passive (maternal) immunity

Innate immunity:

1.    Include physical, biochemical and cellular barriers

2.    Occur inside and outside the body

3.    Has no memory

4.    Doesn’t involve antibodies

5.    Doesn’t require external donor

6.     Doesn’t interfere with active immunization of the newborn and,

7.    Therefore doesn’t  interfere with vaccination schedule.

8.    Non transferable

9.    Non transferable

10. Carry no risk

11. Spontaneously

12. No time limit can occur at any time

Passive (Maternal) immunity:

1.    Include biochemical and cellular barriers

2.    Occur inside the body only

3.    Has memory 

4.    It involves antibodies

5.    Require external donor could be of other species

6.    Interfere with active immunization of the newborn and,

7.    Must therefore be taken into account when designing vaccination schedule.

8.    Transeferable

9.    Transfer can occur naturally, through placenta, milk or colostrum

a.    Or manually”, via injection of antibodies into recipient

10. Carry risk of  anti-isotype (represent the genetically determined difference     

a.    between these isotypes in the heavy chain )or anti-allotype (represent the

b.    genetically determined differences in antibodies between individuals ) responses in recipients

11. Spontaneously (maternal) or induced manually

12. Time controlled:

e.g.: Maternal (at birth/during lactation)

a.    Recipient has congenital or acquired B cell defects

b.    When exposure is likely, or when time doesn’t permit active immunization

c.    When disease is already present (e.g. tetanus, spider/snake bites)