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Response To Infection Paper

Decent Essays

Response to infections

The body responds differently to an infection, depending on whether it is a virus or a bacterial infection. Generally, viruses are considered to be more dangerous, but aside from generalities, there are also pathophysiological differences in the ways in which both viruses and bacteria (invasive organisms) infect human beings (hosts). When a virus is the agent that is infecting the host, the goal of the virus is to invade on a cellular level and replicate itself. “Once inside, the cells of the immune system cannot ‘see’ the virus and therefore do not know that the host cell is infected. To overcome this, cells employ a system that allows them to show other cells what is inside them” (Immune, 2015). The virus then uses the cell in order to make proteins and replicate itself, further compromising the immune system. The immune …show more content…

Instead of being recognized and attacked by T cells, bacteria are recognized and attacked by complement proteins. “Complement proteins assist in bacterial killing via three pathways, the classical complement pathway, the alternative complement pathway or the lectin pathway. The first steps of the classical complement pathway require the binding of antibodies to the surface of the target bacterium” (Immune, 2016). At this point, the antibodies are handled by protein complexes which bind to the surface of the invader (much the same as the process of T cells in viruses). In other words, the body goes through a similar reaction of identifying and then attempting to destroy the invader, including the formation of a membrane attack complex. “MAC can insert into the cell membrane of Gram-negative, but not Gram-positive, bacteria. There, it produces pores that allow the entry of membrane damaging molecules, such as lysozyme, and makes the bacterium susceptible to osmotic lysis” (Immune,

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