TYPES OF IMMUNITY AND METHODS OF CURING DISEASE

TYPES OF IMMUNITY Active immunity occurs when the patient’s lymphocytes make his own antibodies. Passive immunity occurs when the ready-made antibodies are introduced into the patients’ immune system.

NATURAL ACTIVE IMMUNITY Here antibodies produced to fight the pathogens come naturally from the patient’s own lymphocytes. This may be done in two ways: 1). When pathogens infect the body, the patient’s lymphocytes will make antibodies to fight them. Some of these lymphocytes remember the pathogen so that next time the patient is infected, the lymphocytes can produce antibodies much more quickly and the pathogen does less damage. 2). The ability to quickly make specific antibodies could be inherited from parents.

NATURAL PASSIVE IMMUNITY This occurs when the mother’s lymphocytes produce antibodies to fight the pathogens. This can happen in two ways in humans: 1). Antibodies are received from mother across placenta so child is protected during pregnancy. 2). After birth, antibodies are passed from mother to child in the breast milk.

ARTIFICIAL (ACQUIRED) ACTIVE IMMUNITY Weakened or mild strain of the pathogen is actually injected into the patient (vaccination). This does not cause full-blown illness but it does cause the patient to make his own antibodies so that if the stronger pathogen infects him, the lymphocytes can more readily make the antibodies, so the patient does not get as sick. Sometimes, vaccinations may need periodic “booster shots” to keep the patient immune.

ARTIFICIAL (ACQUIRED) PASSIVE IMMUNITY When the vaccine injected into the patient is not a weak pathogen but the serum of an animal that was infected with the pathogen and produced antibodies to it.

SCIENTIFIC AND MEDICAL CURES AGAINST PATHOGENIC DISEASES If by chance your body was not made immune or was unable to be made immune to pathogens, then various drugs in the form of pills, powders, liquid tonics, injections and drops could be prescribed by a physician to help fight the disease.

SUMMARY IMMUNITY Natural Active: Antibodies produced to fight the pathogens come naturally from the patient’s own lymphocytes (after infection or genetic predisposition). Natural Passive: antibodies from mom to child across placenta or in breastmilk. Artificial Active: Body makes antibodies and memory cells after vaccination with weakened antigen from pathogen. Artificial Passive: Antibodies from a previously infected animal injected into patient.

LYMPHATIC SYSTEM

WHAT IS LYMPH? Transparent, yellowish fluid that carries lymphocytes which squeeze out of the capillaries at the arteriosus end as pressure there is high. Lymph nodes that are near to the site of an infection will swell and can be felt by a doctor, especially in the neck, armpit or groin area.

LYMPHATIC SYSTEM

BLOOD TISSUE FLUID Capillaries are very thin and have pores. When blood at high pressure leaves arteries and enter capillaries, some of the fluid from blood is squeezed out of these pores. This fluid is called tissue fluid. White blood cells are also flexible and can squeeze out with the tissue fluid. The tissue fluid then bathes or washes the cells that are near to the capillaries. It supplies cells with oxygen, digested food and correct temperature.

HOW TISSUE FLUID IS MADE

TISSUE FLUID TO LYMPH The plasma and white blood cells that leak out of the blood capillaries return to the blood system by the lymphatic capillaries which lie within tissues and among the regular capillaries. The tissue fluid slowly drains into these lymphatic capillaries and is now known as lymph. Lymphatic capillaries join up to form lymph vessels then enters the blood system again by way of the veins.

LYMPHATIC SYSTEM AND LYMPH NODES The lymphatic system has no pump to make lymph flow so lymph vessels have valves. Lymph flows more slowly than blood. On its way back from the tissues to the veins, lymph flows through several lymph nodes which contain large numbers of white blood cells. Most bacteria and toxins are destroyed by these cells. Therefore, the lymph nodes will swell when there is an infection nearby.