Immunity And Infection Flashcards

1
Q

4 areas involved in immunity

A

BTLS

BONE MARROW= Long bones, iliac crest and sternum
Red bone marrow is epiphyses of bones (produces WBC, RBC and platelets)
Yellow = fats in shaft of long bones

THYMUS GLAND- Develops T lymphocytes
Pericardial cavity and quite small
Larger as a child

LYMPH NODES- holds immunity cells. Near vascular system to exchange cells

SPLEEN AND TONSILS- tonsils holding areas for immune cells
Spleen stores and recycles RBCs, stores WBCs and platelets

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2
Q

Two types of Immunity

A

Cell mediated

Humoral immunity / antibody mediated immunity

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3
Q

What does cell mediated do?

A

Fight intracellular pathogens
Track cancer cells
Tissue transplants

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4
Q

Where are T and B cells produced ?

A

Formed in red bone marrow @ ends of long bones and foetal liver

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5
Q

T LYMPHOCYTES

A

Released from bone marrow as immature

Travel through blood to thymus gland

Thymus gland activates T cells by adding components to it

T cells leave thymus gland as mature

T cells stored in the lymphatic system

Two types of T cells :
CD 4 T cells (T helper)
CD8 T cells (T killer)

CD4+ and CD8+ combine to form killer T cells

T cells use phagocytosis to ingest and engulf pathogens, remove damaged tissues and eat up pre cancerous cells

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6
Q

What happens if someone has a transplant?

A

Killer T cells do not recognise transplanted material

It tries to attack these cells through host defence system

Patients can be given medication to dampen down CD4 cells and thus , less T killer cells produced and less rejection of transplanted tissues

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7
Q

B LYMPHOCYTES

A

Release from bone marrow and mature

Stored in the lymphatic system

B cells attached to antibodies but antibodies can’t form antibody antigen complex while still attached to B cells.
So antibodies sit in lymphatic system til required

When required, CD4 cells knock antibodies off B cells.

Antibody-antigen complex forms and phagocytosis of pathogen

Both types of immunity have memory cells - memory T cells recognise the pathogen again and stimulate B cells to produce antibodies rapidly to fight the infection so you don’t get ill

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8
Q

Vaccine

A

Synthetic version of the antigen causing a virus or infection.

Your body follows the cell mediated and humoral responses to make antibodies against it

Antibodies stored in lymphatic system

If exposed to live virus, antibodies can recognise the foreign antigen, can bind to it and kill it through the immune response

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9
Q

What type of cell is wiped out completely in AIDS?

A

AIDS wipes out T helper cells CD4+

The HIV virus mutates and destroys T helper cells so it is the wiping out of these cells that makes you likely to catch other infections.

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10
Q

CD8 + cells (T KILLER CELLS)

A

T killer cells (natural killers)

They work by;

Releasing perforin through autolysis - destruction of cell via enzymes

Releasing lymphotoxin for apoptosis (cell death)

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11
Q

CD4+ cells

A

T helper cells.
5 functions:

Increase production of T and B cells
Convert CD8 cells into T killer cells
Activates B cells into mature plasma cells
Manages and coordinates immune response
Acts as suppressor cell and slows immune response

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12
Q

B CELLS

A

B cells mature into plasma cells in bone marrow
B cells activated by T helper CD4 cells and mature into plasma cells
Plasma cells produce immunoglobulins to combine with specific antigen

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13
Q

ANTIBODY ACTION

A

All People Need Learning Over All

Agglutination- invading organism will stick together and cannot function any more

Precipitation- Antigen-antibody complex formed and is insoluble

Neutralisation- Antibidy binds to pathogen and means it cannot bind to other cells

Lysis- Direct killing of a cell by an antibody

Opsonisation- Antigen marks cells so cells in phagocytosis recognise it quicker to phagocytosis

Activation of complement cascade- enzymes in blood that cause some above processes
Some enhance inflammatory response
Some act as a chemotaxis - cell signalling

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14
Q

Infection

A

Infection is a complication and extension of inflammatory and immune responses

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15
Q

Infectious disease

A

A state of tissue destruction resulting from the invasion of micro organisms

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16
Q

Define HOST

A

Host is the individual exposed to, or contracting, the infection

17
Q

What is resident flora?

A

The natural microorganisms that live on or within the body at non-sterile areas without causing harm

Eg:
Skin 
Mucous membranes 
Bowel 
Rectum 
Vagina 

Resident flora may be upset by antibiotics as we can kill off that bacteria as well as the harmful one

Eg, thrush
Diarrhoea and sickness

18
Q

Define pathogen

A

Disease causing microorganism

19
Q

What happens in healthy individual ?

A

Pathogen enters the host

Via skin and mucous membranes

Inflammatory response occurs

Finished and you don’t get ill

20
Q

If the immune response is weaker or disease is stronger?

A

If the disease is worse, you may need:

Antibiotics / antivirals
Fluid support
Nutritional support
Steroids

21
Q

Inadequate immune system

A

Patients may need organ support

Eg, ventilator
Hypertensives

If infection overwhelming , they may get septicaemia, shock and then death

22
Q

Clinical signs of feeling unwell

A
Fever 
Loss of function 
Redness
Weakness
Fatigue 
Anorexia 
Cough 
Pain 
Lymphadenopathy 
Purulent exudate - pus formation 
Nausea 
Malaise 
Headache
23
Q

Pathogens

A

Bacteria
Viruses
Fungi
Protozoa- motile organisms including parasites
Rickettsiae- intracellular parasites, part bacteria and part virus
Helminths- worms
Mycoplasma - extracellular organisms similar to bacteria and viruses

24
Q

Diagnostic tests of infection:

A
  • White blood cell count (indicates infection), rises and is non specific
  • Serum antibody levels - looking for certain antibodies in high number of a certain infection, eg, TB antibodies Or whooping cough
  • Cultures - Pus, antibiotics , grow it on agar to see which bacteria grows on which agar. The one it grows on is that infection.
    Then we want to grow culture on antibiotic or antiviral disc to know how to treat it
  • Sensitivities - sputum analysis

Patients may start on a general antibiotic and then to a specific one - prevents disturbing natural flora too much