Antitoxin

<p>An antitoxin is an <a href="/facts/Antibody/MX8pdTdP">antibody</a> with the ability to neutralize a specific <a href="/facts/Toxin/11oUNk7n">toxin</a>. Antitoxins are produced by certain <a href="/facts/Animal/4b8J33nd">animals</a>, <a href="/facts/Plants/X5BMDMvS">plants</a>, and <a href="/facts/Bacterium/wC8xSCsU">bacteria</a> in response to toxin exposure. Although they are most effective in neutralizing toxins, they can also kill bacteria and other microorganisms. Antitoxins are made within organisms, and can be injected into other organisms, including humans, to treat an <a href="/facts/Infectious_disease/182XrncP">infectious disease</a>. This procedure involves injecting an animal  with a safe amount of a particular toxin. The animal's body then makes the antitoxin needed to neutralize the toxin. Later, blood is withdrawn from the animal.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 temporary <a href="/facts/Passive_immunity/9uQCBcXG">passive immunity</a>. To prevent <a href="/facts/Serum_sickness/8TrV2bLx">serum sickness</a>, it is often best to use an antitoxin obtained from the same species (e.g. use human antitoxin to treat humans).
</p><p>Most antitoxin preparations are prepared from donors with high titers of antibody against the toxin, making them <a href="/facts/Hyperimmune_globulin/S1Cj5AWq">hyperimmune globulins</a>.
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Antitoxin open-in-new

Antitoxin