The process of inducing immunity, usually through inoculation or vaccination.
Note: Frequently, schoolchildren are required by state law to be immunized against certain diseases. Because of such widespread immunization, many diseases that used to be fairly common, including smallpox, tetanus, and whooping cough, have become rare.
process by which resistance to disease is acquired or induced in plants and animals. This discussion focuses on immunization against infectious diseases in vertebrate animals, specifically humans.