The type of immunity produced by infection or exposure to a microbial toxin is:

A. Autoimmunity is a malfunction of the immune system where the body attacks its own tissues — it is not a type of protective immunity acquired through infection or exposure.
B. Species immunity refers to natural resistance to certain diseases that affect other species (e.g., humans not being susceptible to some animal viruses), not immunity acquired through infection.
C. Passive immunity involves receiving antibodies from another source (like from mother to baby or via antibody-containing injections) and does not require the immune system to produce its own response.
D. Active immunity is the correct answer. It develops when the body is exposed to a pathogen or its toxins and responds by producing its own antibodies and memory cells, providing long-term protection.

A. Interleukin is a type of cytokine that plays a role in the immune system, but it is not another name for immunoglobulin.
B. Antibodies are also known as immunoglobulins. They are proteins produced by B cells that recognize and bind to specific antigens to help neutralize or destroy pathogens.
C. Interferon is another type of protein that plays a role in the immune response, particularly in inhibiting viral replication, but it is not the same as immunoglobulin.
D. Antigen is a foreign substance that induces an immune response, but it is not synonymous with immunoglobulin.