Toxin that has been treated (commonly with formaldehyde) so as to destroy its toxic property but retain its antigenicity, ie, its capability of stimulating the production of antitoxin antibodies and thus of producing an active immunity; anatoxin is a synonym.

Preparations of pathogenic organisms or their derivatives made nontoxic and intended for active immunologic prophylaxis. They include deactivated toxins. Anatoxin toxoids are distinct from anatoxins that are TROPANES found in CYANOBACTERIA.

Toxoid, bacterial poison (toxin) that is no longer active but retains the property of combining with or stimulating the formation of antibodies. In many bacterial diseases the bacteria itself remains sequestered in one part of the body but produces a poison (exotoxin) that causes the disease...