original antigenic sin

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The propensity of the immune system to preferentially use immunological memory based on a previous infection when a second, slightly different version of the foreign pathogen is encountered, leaving the immune system "trapped" by the first response it has made to each antigen, and unable to mount potentially more effective responses during subsequent infections.

Word forms

original antigenic sin

Etymology

See original sin.

Synonyms

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