1 / 15

COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEMS: Unable To Fight Off and Survive Infections

COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEMS: Unable To Fight Off and Survive Infections. WK: 4/24—4/27. CONGRATULATIONS! This is the LAST lecture for NEW material. Today You Will Learn:

meda
Download Presentation

COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEMS: Unable To Fight Off and Survive Infections

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEMS: Unable To Fight Off and Survive Infections WK: 4/24—4/27

  2. CONGRATULATIONS! This is the LAST lecture for NEW material • Today You Will Learn: • Standard 10e: Why an individual with a compromised immune system (ex: AIDS), may be unable to fight off and survive infections by microorganisms that are usually benign

  3. Introduction • The immune system defends against many pathogens, still, there are three types of disorders that may occur the the system • These disorders include allergies, autoimmune diseases, and immunodeficiency diseases

  4. ALLERGIES • Common allergies include those to pollen, dust, mold, and bee stings • Antigens that cause allergic reactions are called ALLERGENS • When allergens enter the body, they attach to mast cells. Mast cells initiate the inflammatory response. Activated mast cells release histamines, which increase the flow of blood and fluids, increase mucous production in the respiratory system—this causes sneezing, watery eyes, runny nose, and other irritations • ANTIHISTAMINES=drugs that are used to counteract the effects of histamines—used for people with allergies

  5. ASTHMA • Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease in which the air passages become narrower than normal • This narrowing causes wheezing, coughing, and difficulty breathing • How does one get asthma? • Hereditary: genetics • Environmental Factors

  6. ASTHMA • Asthma is a serious life threatening disease • If treatment is not started early enough or if medications are not taken properly, it can lead to permanent damage or destruction of lung tissue • What can trigger Asthma? • Respiratory infections • Exercise • Emotional stress • Certain medications • Other Factors: cold air; pollen; dust; tobacco smoke; pollution; molds; pet dander • Is there a cure for Asthma? • There is no cure for it, but, people who have it can control it—medications are often used to relax the smooth muscles around the airways

  7. AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES • REMEMBER THAT THE IMMUNE SYSTEM HAS THE ABILITY TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN “SELF” AND “NON-SELF” • IF, THE IMMUNE SYSTEM MAKES A MISTAKE AND ATTACKS ITS OWN CELLS, IT PRODUCES AN AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE—which produces “antiself” antibodies • Examples of Autoimmune Diseases: • Type I Diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, myasthenia gravis, and multiple slerosis—antibodies attack the cells and tissues • Medications are given to these patients: Insulin to type I diabetes; to suppress immune responses

  8. AIDS: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome • AIDS results from a viral infection that destroys helper T cells—lymphocytes in the cell. As the T cells decline, the normal immune response breaks down • AIDS is caused by the HIV virus (human immunodeficiency virus). Remember HIV is a Retrovirus, which carries RNA instead of DNA

  9. How Does HIV Attack? • First, it avoids the defenses of the immune system • Second, it attacks key cells and destroys the body’s defenses and leaves the body with no protection against other pathogens: • Targets T cells by attaching to receptor molecules on cell membrane, which allows virus to enter cell and force cell to make DNA copies of the virus’ RNA • Third, the Viral DNA may remain inactive in the host cell for varying periods of time; when activated, it directs the productions of viral RNA and proteins into new virus particles—these viruses eventually leave the infected cell and infect other new cells

  10. Why don’t ANTIBODIES work? • Antibodies are NOT effective in stopping the progression of the disease—they try to fight the virus, but fail • HIV destroys T cells! The fewer the T cells, the more advanced the disease • As the number of T cells decreases, the body becomes more prone to other diseases—opportunistic diseases

  11. Transmission of HIV • HIV can only be transmitted through the exchange of blood, semen, vaginal secretions, or breast milk • Through any form of sexual intercourse with an infected person; • Through shared needles or syrignesthat are contaminated with the blood of an infected person; • Through contact with blood or blood products of an infected person; and • From an infected mother to child, either during pregnancy, during birth, or breast feeding

  12. PREVENT HIV Reduce the risk of contracting HIV: The only no-risk behavior with respect to HIV and AIDS is ABSTINENCE AVOID DRUG USE—no contaminated needles

  13. Can AIDS be cured? • At present, there are no cures for AIDS • However, progress has been made by making drugs that make it possible to live with HIV infection for years • Unfortunately, HIV evolves and replicates fast; for this reason, the virus has been able to evolve into many different strains that are resistant to virtually all drugs used against them—no one has made a vaccine that offers protection for any length of time • Medicine “cocktails” made up of multivitamins and miltidrugs fight the virus, making it possible to live with HIV rather than die soon of it

More Related