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antiserum

 
(ăn'tĭ-sîr'əm) pronunciation
n., pl., -se·rums, or -se·ra (-sîr'ə).
Human or animal serum containing antibodies that are specific for one or more antigens.


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(pl. antisera or (esp. US) antiserums)

serum that contains a high level of antibodies, usually antibodies against specific antigens.

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A serum containing antibodies. Obtained from an animal that has been exposed to antigen. Used in the prevention, treatment or diagnosis of infectious disease. See also immunity and immunization.

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categories related to 'antiserum'

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For a list of words related to antiserum, see:
  • PHARMACOLOGY - antiserum: serum that contains antibodies against one or more particular antigens


Antiserum (plural: antisera) is blood serum containing polyclonal antibodies. Antiserum is used to pass on passive immunity to many diseases. Passive antibody transfusion from a previous human survivor is the only known effective treatment for Ebola infection (but with little success rate).[1]

The most common use of antiserum in humans is as antitoxin or antivenom, to treat envenomation.

Contents

How it works

Antibodies in the antiserum bind the infectious agent or antigen. The immune system then recognizes foreign agents bound to antibodies and triggers a more robust immune response. The use of antiserum is particularly effective against pathogens which are capable of evading the immune system in the unstimulated state but which are not robust enough to evade the stimulated immune system. The existence of antibodies to the agent therefore depends on an initial "lucky survivor" whose immune system by chance discovered a counteragent to the pathogen, or a "host species" which carries the virus but does not suffer from its effects. Further stocks of antiserum can then be produced from the initial donor or from a donor organism that is inoculated with the pathogen and cured by some stock of preexisting antiserum

References

  1. ^ Mupapa K, Massamba M, Kibadi K, Kuvula K, Bwaka A, Kipasa M, Colebunders R, Muyembe-Tamfum JJ. 1999. Treatment of Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever with Blood Transfusions from Convalescent Patients. The Journal of Infectious Diseases 179(suppl 1):S18-23.~~~~

External links

Further reading

  • Mupapa K, Massamba M, Kibadi K, Kuvula K, Bwaka A, Kipasa M, Colebunders R, Muyembe-Tamfum JJ. 1999. Treatment of Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever with Blood Transfusions from Convalescent Patients. The Journal of Infectious Diseases 179(suppl 1):S18-23.



Translations:

Antiserum

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - antiserum, immunserum

Nederlands (Dutch)
serum dat antistoffen bevat, antiserum

Français (French)
n. - antisérum

Deutsch (German)
n. - Antiserum

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - αντιορός, ορός που περιέχει αντισώματα

Português (Portuguese)
n. - anti-soro (m) (Bioquím.) (Med.), soro (m) imunizante (Bioquím.) (Med.)

Русский (Russian)
сыворотка с антителами

Español (Spanish)
n. - antisuero

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - antiserum (med.)

中文(简体)(Chinese (Simplified))
抗毒血清

中文(繁體)(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 抗毒血清

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 항혈청

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 抗血清

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) المصل المضاد‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮נסיוב חיסון של דם עם נוגדנים ומוזרק כהגנה ממחלות שונות‬


 
 

 

Copyrights:

American Heritage Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
 Oxford Dictionary of Biochemistry. Oxford University Press. Oxford Dictionary of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology © 1997, 2000, 2006 All rights reserved.  Read more
Saunders Veterinary Dictionary. Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary 3rd Edition. Copyright © 2007 by D.C. Blood, V.P. Studdert and C.C. Gay, Elsevier. All rights reserved.  Read more
Random House Word Menu. © 2010 Write Brothers Inc. Word Menu is a registered trademark of the Estate of Stephen Glazier. Write Brothers Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia on Answers.com. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Antiserum Read more
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