Nonimmunized

Nonimmunized refers to an individual or population that has not developed immunity to a specific pathogen. This lack of immunity can be due to several reasons, primarily not having been vaccinated against the disease or not having been exposed to and recovered from the infection. Immunity is the body's ability to recognize and fight off a particular disease-causing agent. When someone is nonimmunized, their body lacks the necessary defense mechanisms, making them susceptible to contracting and developing the illness if exposed.

Vaccination is a primary method of achieving immunization, introducing a weakened or inactive form of a pathogen, or components of it, to stimulate an immune response without causing the disease. This process trains the immune system to recognize and combat the actual pathogen if encountered later. Individuals who choose not to vaccinate, or cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, remain nonimmunized. Similarly, people who have never encountered a specific virus or bacterium will also be nonimmunized against it until they are exposed and their immune system builds a defense. The prevalence of nonimmunized individuals within a community can impact the spread of infectious diseases, as herd immunity, which relies on a high percentage of the population being immune, is less effective when there are many nonimmunized people.