Government departments are directly liable for damage caused by their acts; however, the sovereign retains immunity from prosecution.

Fortunately, most patients with primary disease recover spontaneously and retain lifelong immunity to exogenous reinfection.

Research in Japan has shown that children who are vaccinated retain immunity for at least 10 years.

It rejected a defense claim that the Marcoses retained "head-of-state immunity."

The Marcoses refused to obey the subpoenas, the court said, and their lawyers contended that "they retain head-of-state immunity" and other legal protections.

"The Marcoses argue that they retain head-of-state immunity," the court said, "despite their exodus from office and the current Philippine Government's purported waiver of their immunity."

Though suspended, Mr. Sevan has retained diplomatic immunity and is being paid $1 a day to encourage continued cooperation with the Volcker inquiry, United Nations officials said.

Only the first Parliament to sit after an election may prosecute the ministers in a preceding administration; otherwise ministers retain immunity.

But that tactic is not likely to persuade the public that the managed-care industry alone should retain immunity from lawsuits for the deaths and injuries caused by improper decisions.

Thus, antigenuria in a patient with HIV who retains normal cellular immunity may not presage development of disseminated infection.