Specific Host
Defense
Mechanism
MICROBIOLOGY AND PARASITOLOGY
Immunology
• is the scientific study of the
Immune System and Immune
Response.
• The immune system is
considered to be the third line
of defense.
• It considered a specific host
defense mechanism.
Functions of the Immune System
• Differentiate between
“self” and “nonself”
(something foreign, and
• Destroy that which is
nonself.
Major Arms of
the Immune
System
Immunity
IS THE CONDITION OF BEING
IMMUNE, RESISTANT TO A
CERTAIN INFECTIOUS DISEASE.
Vaccine
• A vaccine is defined as
material that can
artificially induce immunity
to an infectious disease
• Usually after injection, or in
some cases, ingestion of
the material.
Vaccination
• Deliberately exposes a person to a harmless version of a
pathogen, to stimulate that person’s immune system to
produce protective antibodies and memory cells.
What is an ideal vaccine?
1. Contains enough antigenic
determinant to stimulate
immune system to produce
antibodies
2. Contains antigenic determinants
from all the strains of the
pathogen that cause the
disease
3. Has a few to no side effects
4. Does not cause disease in
vaccinated person.
Different Types of
Vaccines
Attenuated viral
The process of vaccines: Adenovirus,
weakening pathogens chicken attenuation,
is Attenuated viral and the vaccines are
vaccines. referred to as
attenuated vaccines.
Different Types of
Vaccines
Inactivated Vaccines
These are made from are easier and faster
pathogens that have to produce but less
been killed by heat of effective and only
chemicals. produces shorter
period of immunity.
Different Types of
Vaccines
Uses antigenic (anti-body
stimulating) portions of
Subunit Vaccine :
pathogen to stimulate
Hepatitis B, Lyme disease,
the production of
whooping cough
antibodies against the
protein of the pathogen.
Different Types of
Vaccines
These are bacterial
capsular antigens that are
conjugated to molecules
Conjugated Vaccine: Hib,
that stimulates the immune
meningococcal meningitis
to produce antibodies
against less antigenic
capsular antigens.
Different Types of
Vaccines
Toxoid Vaccine:
Exotoxin that has been Injected to stimulate
inactivated by heat or the production of
chemicals. antibodies that
neutralize the exotoxins
of pathogens.
Different Types of
Vaccines
A particular gene from a DNA Vaccine – The gene will
pathogen is inserted into direct the synthesis of a
plasmids, which will be particular antigen. Once the
injected into skin/muscle antigen churns out the
tissue. copies of the protein, the
body produces antibodies
directed against the protein.
Different Types of
Vaccines
Autogenous Vaccines
Prepared from – Pathogens are killed
bacteria isolated from the injected into the
localized infection. same person to
induced production of
more antigens.
Cells of the Immune System
• Major cells in immune
response are T lymphocytes
(T-cells), B lymphocytes (B
cells), NK cells (category of
lymphocytes), macrophages.
• The cells involved in immune
response originate in bone
marrow with the three
lymphocytes originating from
the lymphoid stem cells of the
bone marrow.
The two major types of T cells are helper T
cells, and cytotoxic T cells:
• Helper T cells are T-helper cells
- Its primary function of its secretion of cytokines.
• Cytotoxic T cells are also known as T cytotoxic cells
- Primary function is to destroy virally infected host cells,
foreign cells, and tumor cells.
