IMMUNITY

Ms. Campbell
Definition of  Immunity is the body’s temporary or permanent resistance to a
immunity disease
  A substance that the immune system perceives as being foreign
or dangerous and stimulates lymphocytes to produce antibodies.

 Antigens include:
Antigen  toxins
 bacterial, fungal and viral proteins.

 These proteins are usually displayed on the surface of the

pathogen
  A specific protein produced by lymphocytes in response to a
Antibody specific antigen
  Immunity can be innate or acquired

 Innate immunity refers to the inborn ability of the body

Types of to resist disease. It is inherited genetically and is
present from birth
immunity
 Acquired immunity refers to immunity that the body
gains over time. It is not present at birth
  The innate immune response consists of physical, chemical and
cellular defenses against pathogens.
Innate
immunity  The main purpose of the innate immune response is to
immediately prevent the spread and movement of foreign
pathogens throughout the body.
Cellular defenses
• Phagocytes and
lymphocytes
Acquired
  Active immunity results when exposure to a disease organism
triggers the immune system to produce antibodies to that
disease
Natural active
immunity
 Naturally acquired active immunity occurs when a person is
exposed to a live pathogen, develops the disease, and then
develops immunity
 When the antigen is recognized, the lymphocytes begin to produce the specific
antibody.

 While antibody production is taking place, the person experiences signs and
symptoms of the disease.

 When enough antibodies have been produced, they destroy the pathogens or
neutralize the toxins, and the person recovers.

 The antibodies gradually disappear from the blood and some lymphocytes develop
into lymphocyte memory cells that remember the specific antigen
 When the same pathogen re-enters the body, the memory cells recognize the antigen,
multiply and produce large amounts of the specific antibody rapidly.

 The person does not develop any signs or symptoms , i.e. the person is immune to the
disease.

 This is known as active immunity because the antibodies are produced by the body of
the person exposed to the pathogen.

 This type of immunity may provide short-term protection, e.g. against the common
cold, or long term protection e.g. chicken pox is rarely caught twice
Draw graph on page
316, fig 16.16
  Artificial immunity is a mean by which the body is given immunity to
a disease by intentional exposure to small quantities of it (the
weakened or dead pathogen, or the antigen itself)
 This process is known as vaccination; the preparation injected is called
Artificial active a vaccine (a substance used to stimulate the production of antibodies
immunity and provide immunity against one or several diseases)
 This stimulates lymphocytes to produce the specific antibody needed.
 Lymphocyte memory cells provide future infection by that pathogen
  Passive immunity is provided when a person is given antibodies
to a disease rather than producing them through his or her own
immune system.
Natural
passive  A newborn baby acquires natural passive immunity from its
mother through the placenta or breast milk (especially colostrum-
immunity the first breast milk formed after birth).
 The protection provided is short term
  Artificial passive immunity is an immediate, but short-term
immunization provided by the injection of antibodies or
antitoxins, such as gamma globulin, that are not produced by the
recipient’s cells.
Artificial  These antibodies are developed in another individual or animal
passive and then injected into another individual.
immunity  Antiserum is the general term used for preparations that contains
antibodies.
 For example, serum containing antibodies against tetanus,
diphtheria and snake bites

Draw graph on page

316, fig.16.15
  Is the process by which a person is made immune or resistant to
an infectious disease
Immunisation  Usually carried out by administering a vaccine
 Vaccines that provide long term protection e.g. tuberculosis,
typhoid and polio
  Some diseases are caused by activity of the immune system, e.g.
asthma and hay fever
 Both these diseases are on the increase due to air pollution and
Diseases of the are more frequent in industrialised areas
immune  Weakening of the immune system will cause greater risk of
infections
system
Extension reading:
 Inflammation and detoxification of the liver, page 312 and 313