toxoids

(noun)

bacterial toxins whose toxicity has been inactivated or suppressed.

Related Terms

Examples of toxoids in the following topics:

  • Vaccination

    • Some vaccinations are composed of live suspensions of weak or attenuated cells or viruses, deadened cells or viruses, or extracted bacterial products such as the toxoids used to immunize against diphtheria and tetanus.

  • Tetanus

    • This is due to the extreme potency of the tetanospasmin toxin; even a lethal dose of tetanospasmin is insufficient to provoke an immune response.Tetanus can be prevented by vaccination with tetanus toxoid.