Immune Response in Health and Disease Worksheet
Name ______
Read each of the following descriptions. If it applies to the primary response, mark it “P.” If it applies to the secondary response, mark it “S.”
1. only a few B cells react with the antigen, so the response is slow
2. memory B cells quickly respond to the antigen and begin to make lots of antibody
3. the stronger of the two responses, it results in a higher level of antibody production
4. the response that occurs the fourth time the antigen is encountered
5. illness occurs in spite of the fact that the response is occurring
You have been diagnosed with tetanus, a serious, often fatal bacterial infection. Your doctor gives you human anti-tetanus antibodies from other people.
6. This treatment is often called passive immunization. How long will it protect you?
7. The next time you are infected with the tetanus bacterium, will you be protected?
8. What type of immunization should you have?
Hypersensitivity occurs when your immune system responds to something that it doesn’t need to. Allergy is a type of hypersensitivity, as are certain drug sensitivities.
9. When you have a pollen allergy, the main cause of the runny nose and itchy eyes is a chemical called histamine, which is released by cells involved in the hypersensitivity response. What allergy treatment is based on blocking the action of this chemical?
Autoimmunity results when your immune system begins to see your own proteins as “nonself.” In the case of rheumatic fever, a complication of strep infection, the strep bacterium makes an antigen that is very similar to a protein in heart tissue.
10. Explain how this similarity may lead to an autoimmune response.
11. Autoimmune diseases may be either systemic or organ-specific. Explain how these are
different.
12. Choose one autoimmune disease and give some information about its symptoms.
13. Why do you think that autoimmune diseases are more common in females than males?
Immunodeficiencies occur when some part of the immune system is defective or missing. It may be inherited or it may be acquired.
14. What is now the main cause of acquired immunodeficiency?
A properly functioning immune system is essential for your survival. List three steps you can take to ensure that your immune system stays healthy:
15.
16.
17.
Answers – Immune Response and Autoimmunity Worksheet
Read each of the following descriptions. If it applies to the primary response, mark it “P.” If it applies to the secondary response, mark it “S.”
P 1. only a few B cells react with the antigen, so the response is slow
S 2. memory B cells quickly respond to the antigen and begin to make lots of antibody
S 3. the stronger of the two responses, it results in a higher level of antibody production
S 4. the response that occurs the fourth time the antigen is encountered
P 5. illness occurs in spite of the fact that the response is occurring
You have been diagnosed with tetanus, a serious, often fatal bacterial infection. Your doctor gives you human anti-tetanus antibodies from other people.
6. This treatment is often called passive immunization. How long will it protect you?
Passive immunization is temporary and only lasts a few weeks.
7. The next time you are infected with the tetanus bacterium, will you be protected?
You will not be protected because your immune system has not had a chance to “learn” to recognize the tetanus bacterium and make antibody to protect you from it.
8. What type of immunization should you have?
You should have active immunization involving injection with tetanus toxoid. This will stimulate your immune system to “learn” to recognize the tetanus bacterium in the future. Active immunization gives long term protection.
Hypersensitivity occurs when your immune system responds to something that it doesn’t need to. Allergy is a type of hypersensitivity, as are certain drug sensitivities.
9. When you have a pollen allergy, the main cause of the runny nose and itchy eyes is a chemical called histamine, which is released by cells involved in the hypersensitivity response. What allergy treatment is based on blocking the action of this chemical?
Antihistamine treatment blocks the action of histamine.
Autoimmunity results when your immune system begins to see your own proteins as “nonself.” In the case of rheumatic fever, a complication of strep infection, the strep bacterium makes an antigen that is very similar to a protein in heart tissue.
10. Explain how this similarity may lead to an autoimmune response.
If the bacterial antigen is similar to heart tissue protein, activated T cells may mistakenly attack heart muscle cells, causing damage to the heart tissue.
11. Autoimmune diseases may be either systemic or organ-specific. Explain how these are
different.
Systemic disease has widespread effects. Organ-specific disease is limited to one type of tissue or organ.
12. Choose one autoimmune disease and give some information about its symptoms.
Answers will vary depending on the disease(s) you chose to cover.
13. Why do you think that autoimmune diseases are more common in females than males?
The answer to this isn’t really well understood. The differences may be linked to the relative levels of sex hormones.
Immunodeficiencies occur when some part of the immune system is defective or missing. It may be inherited or it may be acquired.
14. What is now the main cause of acquired immunodeficiency?
HIV infection is the main cause of acquired immunodefiency.
A properly functioning immune system is essential for your survival. List three steps you can take to ensure that your immune system stays healthy:
15-17. Allow answers like exercise, sleep, elimination of psychological stress, balanced diet, and avoiding exposure to sunlight and toxic chemicals