Defense against infectious disease

Skin as a barrier to infection - The skin and mucous membranes form a primary defense
against pathogens that cause infectious disease.
• Microbes that cause disease are called pathogens.
• Some can only survive inside a human body.
• The primary defense of the body against pathogens is the skin.
• Its outermost layer is tough and provides a physical barrier preventing
the entry of pathogens.
• Sebaceous glands are associated with hair follicles and they secrete a
chemical called sebum forming a layer over the skin, which maintains
skin moisture and slightly lowers skin pH (acidic).
• The lower pH inhibits the growth of bacteria and fungi.
Mucous membranes
• Mucous membranes are soft and moist, found in the nasal passages, teachea, bronchi, inner
lining of intestine etc.
• The mucus is a sticky solution of glycoproteins.
• Mucus acts as a physical barrier; pathogens and harmful particles (pathogens) are trapped in it
and either swallowed or expelled.
• It contains an anti-bacterial enzyme called lysozyme.
Cuts and clots - Cuts in the skin are sealed by blood clotting.

• When the skin is cut, blood vessels in it are damaged and start to bleed.
• The bleeding usually stops after a short time because of a process called clotting.
• In hemophilia clotting fails to occur due to absence of a factor VIII (protein).
• The blood oozing from cut changes from liquid to a semi-solid gel.
• This seals up the wound and prevents further loss of blood and blood pressure.
• Clotting is also important because the clot acts as a barrier to infection provided by the
skin.
• Clots prevent entry of pathogens until new tissue has grown to heal the cut.
Platelets and blood clotting - Clotting factors are released from platelets.
• Blood clotting involves a cascade of reactions (a set of reactions).
• Each reaction produces a catalyst for the next reaction for a rapid clotting process.
• Blood clotting only takes place if there is any cut or damage on skin.
• If it occurs inside blood vessels the resulting clots can cause blockages
in the blood vessels.
• The process of clotting only occurs if platelets release clotting factors.
• Platelets are cellular fragments of large white blood cells that circulate
in the blood.
• They are smaller than either red or white blood cells.
• When a cut or other injury involving damage to blood vessels occurs, platelets collect at the site
forming a temporary plug.
• Platelets then release the clotting factors that trigger off the clotting process.
Fibrin production - The cascade results in the rapid conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin by thrombin .
Blood clotting mechanism
• The cascade of reactions that occurs after the release of clotting factors from
platelets quickly results in the production of an enzyme called thrombin.
• Thrombin in turn converts the soluble protein fibrinogen into the insoluble fibrin.
• The fibrin forms a mesh in cuts that traps more platelets and also blood cells.
• The resulting clot is initially a gel or thrombus, but if exposed to the air it dries to
form a hard scab.
Coronary thrombosis - Causes and consequences of blood clot formation in coronary arteries.

• Sometimes blood clot (thrombus) formation takes place in the coronary arteries of
CHD patients.
• Coronary arteries originate from the aorta close to the
semilunar valve.
• They supply the oxygen and glucose needed by cardiac
muscle fibres for cell respiration.
• If the coronary arteries become blocked by a blood clot,
part of the heart will not receive oxygen and nutrients.
• Cardiac muscle cells are then unable to produce sufficient
ATP by aerobic respiration and their contractions become
irregular and uncoordinated.
Coronary thrombosis.....
• The wall of the heart makes quivering movements called fibrillation that do not
pump blood effectively which leads to a complex condition.
• Atherosclerosis causes obstruction in the coronary arteries. Where atheroma
develops the endothelium of the arteries and makes the inner lining damaged
and roughened. Sometimes the artery wall gets hardened by deposition of
calcium salts. Atheroma sometimes rupture and causes coronary thrombosis.
• Factors correlated with an increased risk of coronary
thrombosis and heart attacks:
● smoking ● high blood cholesterol concentration
● high bloodpressure ● diabetes ● obesity
● lack of exercise.
• Atheroma is also know as plaque