Immunology Flashcards
What are the signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis?
Airway and breathing- bronchospasm, wheezing, tongue swelling, stridor, hoarse voice
Circulation- vasodilation, tachycardia, hypotension, cardiac arrest
Neurological- feeling faint, decreased cerebral blood flow, confusion, light headedness, feeling of impending doom
GI- pain, vomitting, diarrhoea, smooth muscle contraction.
Skin-Itching due to histamine and bradykinin release.
Name some common allergens.
Pollen Food Medications Blood donations Latex Anaesthetics
What are the mediators of Type 1 hypersensitivity reactions?
IgE, mast cell degranulation
What are the mediators of Type 2 hypersensitivity reactions?
IgG, IgM, complement
What are the mediators of Type 3 hypersensitivity reactions?
IgG, complement
What are the mediators of Type 4 hypersensitivity reactions?
T cells
Give examples of Type 1 hypersensitivity reactions.
Asthma Atopy- dermatitis/ eczema Anaphylaxis Allergic rhinitis Food allergy
Give examples of Type 2 hypersensitivity reactions.
Grave’s disease
Incompatible transfusions
Autoimmune hemolytic anaemia
TTP
Give examples of Type 3 hypersensitivity reactions.
Arthus reaction
Serum sickness
SLE
RA
Give examples of Type 4 hypersensitivity reactions.
Contact dermatitis
Mantoux test
Coeliac
TB
What are the 4 key antibiotics given in Tuberculosis infections?
Rifampicin
Isoniazid
Pyrazinamide
Ethambutol
What are the side effects of the 4 antibiotics used in TB?
Rifampacin- Dark urine, hepatotoxicity, decreased effectiveness of the oral contraceptive pill
Isoniazid- Peripheral neuropathy- Vit B6 given alongside, clumsiness/ unsteadiness
Pyrazinamide- Gout
Ethambutol- Eye damage- colour blindness and vision loss
Which components of the immune system are involved in response to viral infections?
INF alpha and beta
Cytotoxic T cells
Natural killer cells
Which type of T helper cell is involved in Autoimmunity, inflammation, intracellular pathogens?
Th1
What is released from mast cells?
Histamine
Prostaglandins
Leukotreines
Tryptase
What are the effects of mast cell mediators?
Vasodilation and tachycardia
Increased vessel permeability
Gland secretion
Bronchoconstriction
Which allergy usually appears first in life?
Rhinitis
Asthma
Dermatitis and food allergy
Dermatitis and food allergy
What genetic defect may there be for atopic dermatitis to occur?
Filaggrin defect= membrane disruption
What are the signs and symptoms of immediate (<1 hour) drug reactions?
Vomit and diarrhoea Tachycardia, hypotension Wheeze, stridor Urticaria (hives), angioedema Loss of consciousness
What are the signs and symptoms of delayed (>1 hour) drug reactions?
Myalgia and arthralgia
Fever
GI upset
Itching and rash
How can a suspected Penicillin allergy be investigated?
Blood tests: look for eosinophils, plateles, haemolytic anaemia
Measure Tryptase: after 2 hours (peak) and 24 hours- this represents mast cell degranulation
What is Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria?
NOT anaphylaxis or allergy
Itching and rash, slow to resolve
Can have panic attack and angioedema
What is a biphasic anaphylaxis reaction?
2 episodes 1-8 hours apart
Mast cells refill and degranulate again
How soon after exposure does anaphylaxis usually occur?
Within 60 minutes
Later onset = less severe
What are the potential differential diagnoses for anaphylaxis?
Vocal cord dysfunction
Chronic urticaria
Hypotension due to shock, sepsis, blood loss, MI
Syncope. faint- but would appear white not blue
How is anaphylaxis managed?
ABCDE
Adrenalin IM 0.5mls (1:1000) repeat after 5 mins if no improvement
High flow oxygen
Fluid challenge (500-1000mls) for hypotension
Bronchodilator
Supportive management to prevent a biphasic reaction eg. Corticosteroids, anti histamines
In mastocytosis, which blood test level is always raised?
Tryptase
What is positive selection and where does it occur?
In the thymic cortex, imposed by cortical epithelial cells.
Developing T cells which recognise self peptide on MCH can continue maturing.
What is negative selection and where does it occur?
In the cortico-medullary junction of the thymus.
Developing T cells which have autoreactive TCRs are removed via apoptosis.
What are 2 examples of peripheral tolerance?
- Immune privelege- physical barries eg BBB, cells in testes express Fas which induces apoptosis in any T cells.
- TReg cells- downregulate immune responses
How can loss of tolerance occur (3 methods)?
- Immune priveledge lost eg. penetrating eye injury
- Failure of TReg cells
- Molecular mimicry- eg. Rheumatic fever may follow infection with Haemolytic strep
What can predispose to autoimmunity?
Female sex
Autoantibodies
HLA class DQ2 and DQ8
Which HLA classes are associated with coeliac disease?
HLA DQ2 in 95%
HLA DQ8
When should coeliac disease be suspected?
Diarrhoea, weight loss, anaemia
What are the key histological features of coeliac disease?
Villous atrophy
Crypt hyperplasia
Raised intra epithelial WBCs
What are the risk factors for rheumatoid arthritis?
Smoking Female HLA DR4 CCP autoantibodies Lung infections
What blood results/ antibodies will be found in rheumatoid arthritis?
CRP Raised
RF Raised
CCP autoantibodies
C3 and C4 Raised
NO dsDNA antibodies, ANA low
What are the key features of rheumatoid arthritis?
Symmetrical polyarthritis
Synovial joints of hands and feet
Morning stiffness
What systemic features may be present in rheumatoid arthritis?
Necrotising granulomas
Vasculitis
Atherosclerosis
How does rheumatoid arthritis appear on Xray?
Loss of joint space
Soft tissue swelling
Joint deformity