original antigenic sin

noun

The propensity of the immune system to preferentially use immunological memory based on a previous infection when a second, slightly different version of the foreign pathogen is encountered, leaving the immune system "trapped" by the first response it has made to each antigen, and unable to mount potentially more effective responses during subsequent infections.

Similar
Hoskins effectOAS
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Meanings

nounoriginal antigenic sin (uncountable)
  1. uncountableimmunologyThe propensity of the immune system to preferentially use immunological memory based on a previous infection when a second, slightly different version of the foreign pathogen is encountered, leaving the immune system "trapped" by the first response it has made to each antigen, and unable to mount potentially more effective responses during subsequent infections.

    Synonyms: Hoskins effect, OAS

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe propensity of the immune system to preferentially use immunological memory based on a previous infection when a second, slightly different version of the foreign pathogen is encountered, leaving the immune system "trapped" by the first response it has made to each antigen, and unable to mount potentially more effective responses during subsequent infections.

Similar
Hoskins effectOAS
Also see
hoskins effect

Origin

See original sin.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

original antigenic sin. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/original%20antigenic%20sin

MLA

“original antigenic sin.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/original%20antigenic%20sin. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “original antigenic sin,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/original%20antigenic%20sin.

Source: original antigenic sin on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.