English edit

Etymology edit

epi- +‎ toxoid

Noun edit

epitoxoid (plural epitoxoids)

  1. (obsolete) A toxoid that generates less of an immune response than an original one
    • 1900, H. Rainy, “On the action of diphtheria toxine on the spinal stichochrome cells”, in Journal of Pathology and Bacteriology, volume 6, page 449:
      It is, however, probable that, in cases of diphtheria, death may be warded off by the displacement of combined epitoxoids in the antidiphtheritic serum, by free diphtheria toxine from the patient's blood, and the epitoxoid so liberated, though less dangerous to life, may still be able to set up changes in the nerve structures, and so may induce paralysis.

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