Control and immunity

Question 1

what systems control viruses?

Answer 1

Viruses are controlled by the body’s general defence system (e.g. skin, mucus, stomach acid and phagocytes) and the specific defence system (i.e. antibodies are produced to disable viruses).

Question 2

How can immunity to virus infections be produced artificially?

Answer 2

immunity to many virus infections can be produced artificially by vaccination or by injecting antibodies.

Question 3

What do antibiotics affect?

Answer 3

Antibiotics kill bacteria but do not affect viruses.

Question 4

What are interferons?

Answer 4

Interferons are a range of substances produced by virus-infected cells to protect healthy cells.

Question 5

How are interferons produced?

Answer 5

artificially

Question 6

What are interferons used to treat?

Answer 6

They can be made artificially and can help to treat colds and other virus infections.

Question 7

What wide range of things are used to treat virus infections?

Answer 7

A wide and growing range of antiviral drugs are used to treat virus infections.

Question 8

What do antiviral drugs do to viruses?

Answer 8

These drugs interfere with viruses without affecting the host (a difficult objective as the two are so closely linked).