Department of Pathobiology and Population Medicine, Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine, PO Box 9100, 240 Wise Center Drive, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA.
Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract. 2019 Nov;35(3):593-604. doi: 10.1016/j.cvfa.2019.07.001.
Herd immunity is an important concept of epidemic theory regarding the population-level effect of individual immunity to prevent transmission of pathogens. Herd immunity exists when sufficient numbers of animals in a group or population have immunity against an agent such that the likelihood of an effective contact between diseased and susceptible individuals is reduced. Understanding herd immunity requires consideration of infection dynamics, modes of transmission, as well as the acquisition of immunity by individuals in the population. Loss of herd immunity may also explain age-associated epidemics of disease related to loss of passively acquired maternal immunity.
群体免疫是流行病理学中的一个重要概念，指的是个体免疫力对病原体传播的群体水平效应。当群体或人群中有足够数量的动物对病原体产生免疫力时，就会产生群体免疫，从而降低患病个体和易感个体之间有效接触的可能性。理解群体免疫需要考虑感染动力学、传播模式以及人群中个体获得免疫力的方式。群体免疫的丧失也可能解释与被动获得的母体免疫力丧失相关的年龄相关性疾病的流行。
