Infectious Diseases
What is an infectious disease?
A disease caused by microorganisms that can be transmitted from one person to another.
What is adaptive (specific) immunity?
This immunity targets a specific antigen.
What is skin?
The body’s first physical barrier against pathogens.
What is primary immune response?
The first exposure to an antigen produces
What is active immunity?
Immunity gained from your own immune system after infection or vaccination. ( creating our own antibodies)
What is a virus?
This type of pathogen reproduces only inside a host cell.
What are B cells?
Cells responsible for producing antibodies.
What are phagocytes?
White blood cells that engulf pathogens.
What is secondary immune response?
The second exposure to the same antigen
What is passive immunity?
Immunity received from another source (e.g., mother to baby). (antibodies from a different source)
Name two ways infectious diseases can be transmitted.
What are airborne, direct contact, food/water, vectors? (any two)
What are cytotoxic T cells?
Cells that directly destroy infected body cells.
What is inflammation?
This response causes redness, heat, swelling, and pain.
Why is the secondary response faster than the primary response?
The secondary immune response is faster because of memory cells formed during the first infection.
What is natural passive immunity?
Breastfeeding
Why don’t antibiotics work against viruses?
because viruses lack cell structures antibiotics target
What is an antigen?
This molecule on a pathogen triggers an immune response.
what are the 3 nonspecific responses and explain them in detail.
-cellular defense
- interferons
- inflammatory response
During which response are antibody levels higher?
secondary response
What is artificial active immunity?
Vaccination
Explain how antibiotic resistance develops.
bacteria mutate and survive, then reproduce and spread resistance genes
Explain the role of memory cells in long-term immunity.
they remain in the body and respond faster upon second exposure
Explain why nonspecific immunity is considered the first line of defense.
because it responds immediately and is not antigen-specific
Describe what happens from antigen entry to antibody production.( B-cell response)
antigen recognition → helper T cell activation → B cell activation → plasma cells produce antibodies
Why does passive immunity not last long?
Since no memory cells are formed