antitoxin

1. An antibody formed in response to and capable of neutralizing a specific toxin of biological origin.
2. An animal or human serum containing antitoxins. It is used in medicine to prevent or treat diseases caused by the action of biological toxins, such as tetanus, botulism, and diphtheria.

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An antibody that will combine with and generally neutralize a particular toxin. When the manifestations of a disease are caused primarily by a microbial toxin, the corresponding antitoxin, if available in time, may have a pronounced prophylactic or curative effect. Apart from this, the other properties of an antitoxin are those of the antibody family (lgG, IgA, IgM) to which it belongs. See also Antibody; Biologicals; Immunoglobulin.

Antitoxins have been developed for nearly all microbial toxins. Diphtheria, tetanus, botulinus, gas gangrene, and scarlatinal toxins are important examples. Antitoxins may be formed in humans as a result of the disease or the carrier state, or following vaccination with toxoids, and these may confer active immunity. The status of this can be evaluated through skin tests, or by titration of the serum antitoxin level. See also Botulism; Diphtheria; Gangrene; Immunity; Skin test; Toxin-antitoxin reaction.

A subgroup of antisera usually prepared from the serum of horses immunized against a particular toxin-producing organism, such as botulism antitoxin and diphtheria antitoxin given prophylactically to prevent those infections.

A particular kind of antibody produced in the body in response to the presence of a toxin or toxoid. Most commonly used in the treatment of diseases caused by clostridial toxins, e.g. botulinum and tetanus. See also immunity.

• gas gangrene a. — serum containing antitoxic antibodies; prepared from the blood of healthy animals immunized against gas-producing organisms of the genus Clostridium.
• tetanus a. — preparation from the blood serum or plasma of healthy animals immunized against tetanus toxin. Used for prophylaxis after injury because of its immediate effect. Active immunization is preferred for long-term protection, particularly for many clostridial diseases such as tetanus.

An antitoxin is an antibody with the ability to neutralize a specific toxin. Antitoxins are produced by certain animals, plants, and bacteria. Although they are most effective in neutralizing toxins, they can kill bacteria and other microorganisms. Antitoxins are made within organisms, but can be injected into other organisms, including humans. This procedure involves injecting an animal with a safe amount of a particular toxin. Then, the animal’s body makes the antitoxin needed to neutralize the toxin. Later, the blood is withdrawn from the animal. When the antitoxin is obtained from the blood, it is purified and injected into a human or other animal, inducing passive immunity. To prevent serum sickness, it is often best to use antitoxin generated from the same species (i.e. use human antitoxin to treat humans).

See also

• Vaccination
• The horse named Jim
• Antiserum

External links

• http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=2289
• MeSH Antitoxins

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - antitoksin

Nederlands (Dutch)
tegengif

Français (French)
n. - antitoxine

Deutsch (German)
n. - Antitoxin, Gegengift

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (ιατρ.) αντιτοξίνη

Italiano (Italian)
antitossina, antidoto

Português (Portuguese)
n. - antitoxina (f) (Med.) (Bioquím.)

Русский (Russian)
антитоксин

Español (Spanish)
n. - antitoxina, antitóxico

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

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
抗毒素

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 抗毒素

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 항독소, 면역소

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 抗毒素, 抗毒素血清

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) الأنتيتكسين : جسم مضاد يستخدم لإحداث مناعه ضد الدفتيريا‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮רעלן נגדי, נוגדן לרעל‬

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