Serology Flashcards
The study of an individual’s reactions when foreign substances are introduced into the body.
Immunology
Refers to the condition of being resistant to infection, the state of protection from infectious disease.
Immunity
A foreign substance (non-self) that may be specifically bound by an antibody molecule.
Antigen
Molecules that stimulate immune responses.
Immunogens
A protein (immunoglobulin) that is found in the blood plasma. Produced by plasma cells, which are derived from B lymphocytes, in response to a foreign antigen.
Antibody
A division of immunology that specializes in laboratory detection and measurement of a specific antibody that is produced as a response to exposure to an antigen. This division of immunology studies in vitro antigen-antibody reactions.
Serology
During an outbreak of plague in Athens in 430 B.C., he observed that only those who had recovered from the plague could nurse the sick because they would not contract the disease a second time.
Thucydides
Started the practice of variolation to prevent acquisition of smallpox. Variolation is a process where dried crusts derived from smallpox were directly inhaled by patients.
Chinese
In 1798, he started the practice of vaccination (vacca, meaning “cow”) in an attempt to produce a therapeutic procedure against smallpox.
Edward Jenner
Guinea Pig of Jenner in His Experiments
James Phipps
He was the first to observe attenuation and coined the term “vaccine”.
Louis Pasteur
The process of making something weaker.
Attenuation
What did Louis Pasteur use to vaccinate a sheep which successfully immunized a young boy against rabies?
Heat-Attenuated Anthrax Bacillus
Tested the proposed rabies vaccine with success in dogs and observed that all immunized animals survived a rabies exposure.
Emil Roux
Pasteur administered the untested rabies vaccine in humans to __________ , a 9-year-old boy, who had been bitten and mauled by a rabid dog. The treatment lasted 10 days and the boy recovered and remained healthy.
Joseph Meister
Demonstrated that serum from animals previously immunized to diphtheria could transfer the immune state to unimmunized animals.
Emil von Behring and Shibasaburo Kitasato
Demonstrated that that a fraction of serum first called gamma- globulin (now immunoglobulin) was shown to be responsible for immunity. Because immunity was mediated by antibodies contained in body fluids (known then as humors), it was called humoral immunity.
Elvin Kabat
Demonstrated that cells also contribute to the immune state of an animal. He observed that certain WBCs, which he termed as phagocytes, were able to ingest (phagocytose) microorganism and other foreign material. Thus, he hypothesized that cells were the major effector of immunity, becoming the first proponent of cellular immunity.
Eli Metchnikoff
Succeeded in transferring immunity against the tuberculosis by transferring WBCs between guinea pigs, reinforcing the claims of cellular immunity.
Merril Chase
Lymphocyte was identified as the cell responsible for both cellular and humoral immunity.
Improved Cell Culture Techniques (1950’s)
Performed a series of experiments on chickens which indicated that there were two types of lymphocytes. T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes which are derived from thymus and from the bursa of Fabricious, respectively. T lymphocytes mediated cellular immunity, while B lymphocytes mediated humoral immunity.
Bruce Glick
Produced by the bone marrow.
Both B and T Lymphocytes
Matures in the thymus.
T Lymphocytes
Matures in the bone marrow.
B Lymphocytes
Also known as native immunity. It consists of cellular and biochemical defense mechanisms that are already in place even before infection and poised to respond rapidly to infections.
Innate Immunity
Also known as acquired immunity, will only be produced after an antigenic challenge to human host. It is characterized by the ability to remember a prior exposure, which results in an increased response upon repeated exposure. This type of immunity is also characterized by specificity for each individual pathogen, or microbial agent.
Adaptive Immunity
Mediated by T lymphocytes and is a principal defense mechanism against intracellular microbes. It is also responsible for killing infected cells.
Cellular Immunity
Primarily mediated by antibodies produced by plasma cells, which are derived from B lymphocytes. This type of immunity is the principal defense mechanism against extracellular microbes.
Humoral Immunity
Anatomic barriers: Intact skin, Mucous membranes
Physiologic processes: Sneezing, coughing, vomiting, gag reflex, constant motion of ciliated epithelial cells in the respiratory tract
Normal microbiota (Normal flora): Nonpathogenic bacteria that are usually found in certain parts of the body such as the throat and intestines
Secretions: Sweat, mucus, earwax (cerumen), saliva, tears, lactic acid in sweat, stomach acid
Very low pH of vagina and stomach
Innate Immunity / First Line of Defense
Phagocytes: Monocytes, Macrophages, Neutrophils, Natural Killer cells
Inflammatory reaction
Complement System
Innate Immunity / Second Line of Defense
Cellular components: Lymphocytes- T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, Plasma cells
Humoral components: Antibodies, cytokines
Adaptive Immunity / Third Line of Defense
Utilized as diagnostic tools for the detection of syphilis. These tests detect the presence of reagin antibodies which are antibodies against cardiolipin.
Non-Treponemal Antibody Tests
Found in the mitochondrial membrane. When the membrane is damaged, it will be released into the blood circulation stimulating the production of reagin antibodies.
Cardiolipin
Almost always produced by persons with syphilis. However, these are not specific for syphilis and can be produced in other infectious diseases.
Reagin Antibodies
Non-Treponemal Tests Include…
Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) Test and Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) Test.
Presence of HBs also indicates that the patient is infectious. This test is being utilized as a diagnostic tool for the detection of Hepatitis B infection.
HBsAg (Hepatitis B Surface Antigen) Test
Generally interpreted as indicating immunity from Hepatitis B virus infection. These are usually produced by individuals who have been successfully vaccinated against Hepatitis B and those that have recovered successfully from Hepatitis B infection.
Anti-HBs (Hepatitis B Surface Antibody) Test
Diagnostic tool for the detection of Enteric fever and Typhoid fever. This test detects the presence of antibodies to disease-causing Salmonella organisms.
Widal Test
This test is used as screening test for dengue viral infection and as an aid for the differential diagnosis of primary and secondary infection.
Dengue IgG/IgM Test
Indicative of past dengue infection.
IgG Positive Only
Indicative of primary (first-time) dengue infection.
IgM Positive Only
Indicative of secondary dengue infection.
Both IgG and IgM Positive
This test detects of the presence of Non-Structural protein NS1 of the dengue virus.
Dengue NS1 Test
Detectable during the acute phase of dengue virus infection, especially during the first seven (7) days of symptoms.
NS1 Antigen
Designed to detect both dengue virus NS1 antigen and antibodies to dengue virus (Dengue IgG and IgM).
Dengue Duo Kit
