Module 4: Autoimmune diseases and Preventing and Treating Disease Flashcards
What does the term autoimmune disease mean?
when the body stops recognising ‘self’ cells and begins to attack healthy body tissues
What is the main example of an autoimmune disease?
arthritis
Which part of the body is affected by arthritis ?
Is there a cure for this ?
Give 4 types of treatment used for arthritis
the joints-mainly hands , wrists , ankles and feet
there is no cure
-anti-inflammatory drugs
-steroids
-immunosuppressants
-pain relief
Immunity can be …
Immunity can also be …
natural or artificial
active or passive
Normal immune responses to the presence of pathogens are considered …
Why?
natural and active responses
because the body has itself acted to produce antibodies or memory cells
Give an example of natural passive immunity
Why is this example considered a natural and passive process?
new born babies receiving antibodies from their mother across the placenta when still a fetus and through breast milk when born
its natural but is considered passive as the baby is not making the antibodies itself
What does artificial passive immunity involve?
Does this type of immunity provide long or short lasting immunity?
taking antibodies produced by one organism and injecting them into the bloodstream of another organism
short lasting immunity
What is the main form of artificial active immunity?
Describe this example
vaccinations
the body is stimulated to produce antibodies via an immune response by injecting a ‘safe’ form of an antigen into the bloodstream
Vaccines are used to give long term immunity to diseases , what else do they help to prevent?
epidemics
What is an epidemic?
What is a pandemic?
when a communicable disease spreads rapidly to a lot of people at a local or national level
when a disease spreads rapidly across a number of countries and continents
Why is it important that booster vaccines are administered?
Because this increases the number of memory cells being produced which leads to a faster immune response
