HUMAN DEFENSES VS

DISEASE
 I. OVERVIEW

A. DEFINITION OF TERMS
--RESISTANCE
--the ability to ward off disease
--SUSCEPTIBILITY
--the vulnerability or lack of resistance to disease
 B. HOST DEFENSES (HOST DEFENSE
MECHANISMS)
NON-SPECIFIC RESISTANCE SPECIFIC
RESISTANCE

1ST LINE OF DEFENSE 2ND LINE OF DEFENSE 3RD LINE OF

DEFENSE

--intact skin --phagocytic WBC --specialized

--mucous --inflammation and lymphocytes (B
membranes and fever cells and T cells)
their secretions --antimicrobial --antibodies
--normal flora substances
 HOST DEFENSES
1. Non-specific Resistance
--natural resistance
--defenses that protect us against any pathogen, regardless of
species
--2 lines of defense:
a. First line of defense– skin and mucous membranes
b. Second line of defense
-- non-specific cellular and chemical responses to
microbial invasion
-- phagocytes, inflammation, fever, antimicrobial
subs.
--innate or inherited immune responses
 HOST DEFENSES
2. Specific Resistance or Immunity
--3rd line of defense
--defense directed against a specific microbe
--based on specialized cells of the immune system
(lymphocytes) and the production of specific
proteins (antibodies)
 II. FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE
A. MECHANICAL BARRIERS
1. Intact skin—provides a complete external covering for the
body
2. Mucous membranes—lines the GIT, respiratory tract, GUT
-- epithelial layer and an underlying connective tissue
layer
3. Tears (lacrimal apparatus)
--dilute and wash away irritating substances or
microorganisms.
4. Saliva—dilute and wash away microbes from teeth and
mouth.
5. Cilia of the respiratory tract
-- filter inhaled air and trap microbes, dust, pollutants
6. Epiglottis—prevents microbes from entering lower respiratory tract
during swallowing
7. Flow of urine—cleanses urethra and prevents microbial
colonization
8. Vaginal secretions
 B. CHEMICAL BARRIERS
1. Sebum
--contains unsaturated fatty acid
--inhibit the growth of certain pathogenic bacteria and
fungi
2. Lysozyme
--found in resp. tract, tears, saliva, nasal secretions,
blood and tissue fluids
--capable of breaking down cell walls of gram (+)
bacteria and to a lesser extent gram (-) bacteria
3. Gastric juice and digestive enzyme
 C. INDIGENOUS MICROFLORA (NORMAL
FLORA)

--microbial antagonism
--factors:
1. Competition for colonization sites
2. Competition for nutrients
3. Production of substances that kill other bacteria
(bacteriocins)
 III. SECOND LINE OF DEFENSE
A. PHAGOCYTOSIS
-- ingestion of an microorganism or any particulate matter by
a cell
-- phagocytes– types of WBC
-- rids of body of unwanted and often harmful substances
(dead cells, unused cellular secretions , debris and MO)
-- Phagocytic cells:
1. Granulocytes
a. Neutrophils or PMNs - highly phagocytic and motile
-- active in initial stages of infection
b. Eosinophils - phagocytic and can leave blood
-- major function: produce toxic proteins against
certain parasites
2. Agranulocytes
a. Monocytes
-- not actively phagocytic
b. Macrophages
-- mature form of monocytes
-- 2 types:
b.1 wandering macrophages—migrate to
infected areas
b.2 fixed macrophages (histiocytes)
-- remain in tissues and organs
-- trap foreign debris
PHASES OF PHAGOCYTOSIS:

1. Chemotaxis - chemical attraction of phagocytes to

MO
2. Attachment or adherence
-- attachment of phagocytes plasma membrane to
the surface of the MO or other foreign material
3. Ingestion
-- forms pseudopods that engulf microbe and form
phagosome or phagocytic vesicle
4. Digestion
-- Phagosome + lysosome = phagolysosome
-- lysosomal enzymes
 B. INFLAMMATION
-- Functions:
1. Localize an infection 3. Neutralize toxins
2. Prevent spread of MO 4. Aid in repair and healing
-- Classic s/sx:
-- rubor, dolor, calor, tumor and functio laesa
-- Stages:
1. Vasodilatation and increased permeability of blood
vessels
2. Phagocyte migration and phagocytosis
3. Tissue repair
 C. FEVER
-- Elevation of body temperature that exceeds the normal
N = 36.2 - 37.5 C
-- fever - >37.8 C
-- substances that stimulate the production of fever -
pyrogens or pyrogenic substances
1. Exogenous pyrogens
a. whole MO
b. microbial products
c. Microbial toxins (enterotoxin, endotoxin)
2. Endogenous pyrogens
-- pyrogenic cytokines
 FEVER
SEPTICEMIA (G RAM (-) BACTERIA)

ENDOTOXIN (BLD.STREAM)

PHAGOCYTES(ENDOTOXIN)

IL-1

HYPOTHALAMUS

PROSTAGLANDIN

HYPOTHALAMIC THERMOSTAT

BODY TEMPERATURE VASOCONSTRICTION

 D. ANTIMICROBIAL SUBSTANCES
1. Cellular secretions
a. Interferons (IFN)
 Antiviral CHONS produced in response to viral infections
 3 types: IFN-a, IFN-b, IFN-y
 Function: interfere with viral multiplication
 Host-cell specific not virus-specific

b. Interleukins (IL)
 Polypeptides secreted by macrophages and lymphocytes
 Enhance T lymphocyte activation, proliferation and
activity.
2. Blood Proteins
A. Complement
 Group of 30 different CHONS found in plasma
 Complement system (classical or alternative)
 Results to:

- initiation and amplification of inflammation

- chemotaxis
- activation of leukocytes
- lysis of bacteria
- opsonization ( Phagocytosis)
OPSONIZATION - process by which phagocytosis is
facilitated by the deposition of opsonins (antibodies or
certain complement fragments)

B. Prostaglandins (PG)
 Lipids that act like hormones
 Play a role in fever, platelet aggregation,immune
response, inflammation, pain production, autoimmune
response.
 THIRD LINE OF DEFENSE:
IMMUNE RESPONSE
A. The Immune Response (Immune System)
B. Immunity
C. Antigens and Antibodies
A. THE IMMUNE RESPONSE (IMMUNE SYSTEM)
 Specific Host Defense Mechanisms
1. Humoral Immunity
- always involves the production of antibodies
- antibodies play a major role in humoral immunity
2. Cell-Mediated Immunity (CMI)
- involves many different cell types
- macrophages, T helper cells, cytotoxic T cells, delayed
hypersensitivity cells, natural killer cells and
granulocytes.
- although antibodies may play a role in some types of
cell-mediated immune reactions (they do not play a
major role)
 B. IMMUNITY

 The condition of being immune or resistant to a particular

infectious disease
 Acquired Immunity

- immunity that results from the active production or

receipt of antibodies
 ACQUIRED IMMUNITY

NATURALLY ACQUIRED ARTIFICIALLY ACQUIRED

ACTIVE PASSIVE
ACTIVE PASSIVE
-Antigens -Preformed
-Antigens enter the -Antibodies pass introduced by antibodies
body and the body from mother to vaccines, body
introduceaaa to
produces antibodies fetus produaces
antibodies
body
-Clinical or -Congenital, -Antiserum
subclinical disease colostrum -Vaccines:
-Inactivated -Antitoxin
(killed) -Gammaglobulin
- Attenuated
(weakened)
-Extracts
-Toxoids
TYPES OF VACCINES:
1. Inactivated (killed)
-Viruses - hepatitis B, polio (SQ), rabies
- Bacteria - anthrax, cholera, pertussis, typhoid
fever (SQ)
2. Attenuated (weakened)
- Viruses - measles, mumps, rubella, polio (oral)
- Bacteria - BCG, typhoid fever (oral)
3. Extracts
- bacterial capsular antigen - Hib, meningococcal,
pneumococcal
4. Toxoids
- Bacteria - diphtheria, tetanus
 C. ANTIGENS AND ANTIBODIES
1. Antigens (Ag)
- also called immunogens
- chemical substance that causes the body to
produce specific antibodies
- foreign organic substance
- antibody generating substance
2. Antibodies (Ab)
-also called immunoglobulins (Ig)
- glycoproteins produced by lymphocytes in
response to the presence of an antigen.
 CLASSES
A. Ig G
- principal circulating Ab
- prevalent in serum
- provides naturally acquired passive immunity
- neutralizes bacterial toxins
- participates in complement fixation
- enhances phagocytosis
B. Ig A
- first line of Ab defense against organisms entering
through mucous membranes
- major Ab in breast milk and other secretions
c. Ig M
- largest
- first Ab synthesized after Ag stimulation
- more efficient than Ig G in complement fixation
- involved in agglutination
- bactericidal to gram (-) bacteria
d. Ig D
- fetal antigen receptor
- controls antigen stimulation of B-cells
e. Ig E
- binds very tightly to mast cells and leukocytes
(basophils)
- causes allergies, drug sensitivity, anaphylaxis and
immediate hypersensitivity; combats parasitic
diseases