Phenomena and Processes

Herd Immunity

The state of a community in which a significant proportion of its population becomes immune to an infectious disease, and the risk of person-to-person transmission decreases. Individuals who are not immune and susceptible are indirectly protected because ongoing disease spread is very small.

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

The state of a community in which a significant proportion of its population becomes immune to an infectious disease, and the risk of person-to-person transmission decreases. Individuals who are not immune and susceptible are indirectly protected because ongoing disease spread is very small.

MeSH Record

Classification

Broader headings

Related Concepts

Knowledge Graph

Loading graph…

Drag nodes to rearrange; hover to trace links; click a node to open its page.

MeSH Record

Synonyms

6 entry terms
  • Community Immunity
  • Immunity, Herd
  • Population Immunity
  • Community Immunities
  • Immunity, Community
  • Immunity, Population

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

5 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings drug effects, genetics, immunology, physiology, radiation effects.

MeSH Record

Indexing Annotation

human & animal

MeSH Record

History Note

2003

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Number

  1. G12.450w.400w

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Herd Immunity. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D032521. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D032521
  2. Herd Immunity. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herd_immunity
  3. Herd Immunity. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q736798