Opportunistic Infections Flashcards
1
Q
What is an opportunistic infection?
A
Infection that occurs more commonly or are more severe in people with weakened immune systems
2
Q
What does a defect in phagocytes, complement, B cells and antibodies indicate?
A
Extracellular microorganisms (bacteria, yeast)
3
Q
What does a defect in cytotoxic T cells and NK cells?
A
Intracellular microorganisms (virus, parasites, bacteria)
4
Q
Why does a reduced CD4 count increase the susceptibility to infections?
A
CD4 cells release cytokines that activate macrophages, up-regulate NK and CD8 T cells and co-stimulate B cells to differentiate into plasma cells
