IS LEC 18
(Antimicrobial Immunity Handout)
 presents the general scheme where
the different components of the
immune system would be working
against specific pathogens
A) Immunity to Viruses
Innate Immune Response
1) Interferon
- natural antiviral substance
which prevents infection by
blocking viral transcription
2) Natural Killer Cells
- can directly destroy virally
infected cells; they are not MHC
restricted so there is no need for
antigen presentation
3) Macrophages
- could phagocytize the
virus or secrete interferons
Adaptive Immune Response
1) Antibody Production (IgA)
- responds to viruses via neutralization
2) Tc Cell Production
- directly kills the infected cells
**Prions
- there is also no immune response
against it because the body knows
that it is a self-antigen
B) Immunity to Bacteria
Bacteria is a representation of the
extracellular pathogens.
Innate Immune Response
1) Phagocytosis
- can be avoided by some
pathogens through the following
mechanisms:
 Presence of capsule that
affects attachment
 Presence of cell walls
 Excretion of cytotoxins
 Production of aggresin
which are proteins that can
dissolve host tissue
2) Lysozyme
- natural antibiotic which will
directly attack the bacteria and
not the host cell
Adaptive Immune Response
1) Antibody Production
- may be T-Cell Independent or
T-Cell Dependent
- antibody production may lead to
neutralization, opsonization,
complement activation, and
FC-mediated phagocytosis
2) Activation of T-Helper Cells
- leads to the production of
cytokines which would stimulate
B-Cell response
- also leads to the production of
Gamma-interferon responsible
for macrophage activation
3) Tumor Necrotic Factor
- for inflammatory responses
Innate Immune Response
Innate response would be through
phagocytosis and action of NK cells
C) Immunity to Fungi
Survival Mechanisms of Fungi to Evade IRs:
1. Anti-phagocytic capsules
- as in the case of Cryptococcus
2. Resistance to Digestion
- in the case of Histoplasma
3. Destruction of PMNs
- in the case of Coccidioides
Depending on the fungi that would be
related with the infection, they would
generally be neutralized by the immune
system but their capability to thrive may
not be due to a deficient immune response
but may be due to a deficient immune cell.
For example, HIV patients have low
immune systems so their ability to evade
fungal infections may be deficient due to
low number of immune cells.
D) Immunity to Protozoa / Parasites
Survival Mechanisms of Parasites
1. Long Distance Spread
This is especially true with the bloodborne
parasites because long distance spread is
due to the vector. If the vector is a
mosquito, it will transfer the parasite from
one place to another.
2. Intracellular Mechanism
They commonly infect RBCs. They have
antigenic variation, thus if a vaccine would
be produced against them, it may be
protective against the different varieties
of antigens.
3. Immunosuppression
They are highly developed and they have
acquired resistance which is exceptional.

Immune Responses to Specific Parasites
1) Trypanosomes
- blood form of Trypanosomes are
susceptible to antibody and
complement action
**this may be survived through gene
switching where surface lipoproteins
would change
2) Malaria
- generally, there would be an
increase in TNF which will try to
neutralize the parasite however
overproduction of this may lead
to the formation of immune
complexes in the kidney
a) Liver Stage: Cytotoxic T-cells
b) RBC Stage: Antibody
- may be survived through Ag variation
3) Leishmania
- capable of inhabiting the
macrophages so that immune
response would be cell-mediated
E) Immunity to Worms
The immune system does not actually
eliminate the parasite but rather only
keep down the numbers of the parasite.
Mechanisms:
1) Increased Production of Eosinophils
- there would be release of
chemotactic factors for phagocytosis
- it would also participate in the ADCC
2) IgE Production
- leads to inflammatory reaction
thereby hindering attachment or
entry; IgE production is a reflection
of the activity of T-Helper Type 2
F) Immunity to Tumors
Tumors would have parasite-like
mechanisms which prevent elimination.
Innate Immune Response
 Production of macrophages, NK cells,
complement, and Gamma-INF
Adaptive Immune Response
 Antibody production and cell
mediated immunity through the
action of Tc and Th1 cells
HYPERSENSITIVITY aka “Allergy”
- a form of immune dysfunction and its
consequences; other forms would
include autoimmune diseases and
immune deficiencies
Two Defining Characteristics
1) Increased Immune Response
2) Inappropriate Response To An Antigen
**The appropriate response should be
inflammatory in nature which may lead
to either humoral or cell-mediated IRs.
Four Types of Hypersensitivity
The differences would be based on the
effector cells that would be associated
with the hypersensitivity reaction.
1) Type I Hypersensitivity
- commonly caused by an allergen that
is non-parasitic and is IgE-mediated
- IgE production should only be
normally produced against parasitic
pathogens
- this parasitic allergen would be able
to induce the production of IgE
- an increased production of IgE would
bring about a series of events that
would lead to Type I Hypersensitivity
- IgE production would secrete cytokines
which may mediate inflammatory
reactions, there is degranulation which
would lead to the release of active
components such as histamines,
leukotrienes, and cytokines
- they will have specific functions
however they would be in a group,
what you call B-cell permeability,
muscle contraction, which would lead
to difficulty in breathing and alike
A) Systemic Anaphylaxis
- would occur in a matter of minutes
- only observed with antigenic challenge
IS LEC 18
- there is NO systemic anaphylaxis during
the first exposure; it may lead to death
so emergency treatment would include
the injection of Epinephrine
B) Localized Anaphylaxis
- only affects a particular area of the body
- the predisposal to localized
anaphylaxis may be inherited which
is known as “Atopy”
Examples:
1. Allergic rhinitis aka “Hay Fever”
2. Asthma
a. Allergic Asthma
- reaction against a specific antigen
b. Intrinsic Asthma
- this is allergen independent and
is commonly associated with
exercise or cold
3. Food allergies
- not always systemic, it may be
deposited at a specific area
depending on its absorption and
manifest in that area
4. Atopic Dermatitis
2) Immune Complex- mediated Hypersensitivity
There would be production of antibodies
against the allergen and this would now
interact with the antigen, forming a complex.
The reaction would be dependent on the
number of complexes that would be formed and
where the complexes would be deposited.
One of the negative effects of immune complex-
mediated hypersensitivity is that the immune
complex would be commonly deposited in the
kidneys.
3) Delayed Type I Hypersensitivity
A function of a subpopulation of T-Helper
Cells that if activated with the presence of
the allergen, this would cause the
secretion of cytokines which would
produce local inflammatory reactions.
4) Stimulatory Hypersensitivity
A new category which is under further study.