The
immune system (to be) ______ the system of specialized cells and organs that (to protect) ____________ an organism from outside biological influences. When the immune system (to function) __________________ properly, it (to protect) _______________ the body against bacteria and viral infections, destroying cancer cells and foreign substances. If the immune system (to weaken) __________, its ability to defend the body also (to weaken) ____________, allowing pathogens, including viruses that (to cause) _________________ common colds and flu, to grow and flourish in the body. The immune system also (to perform) _______________ surveillance [se:’veilns] of tumor cells, and immune suppression (to increase) __________________ the risk of certain types of cancer.
The immune system (to divide) ___________________ often into two sections: innate [‘i’neit] immunity and acquired immunity.
Innate [‘i’neit] immunity (to comprise) ____________________ of hereditary components. These components [kem’pounents] (to provide) _____________ an immediate "first-line" of defense to continuously ward off pathogens.
Acquired immunity (to manufacture) _____________ antibodies (a type of protein) and T-cells specifically designed to target particular pathogens,. The body can (to develop) ____________ a specific immunity to particular pathogens.
The most important function of the human immune system (to occur) _____________ at the cellular level of the blood and tissues. The lymphatic and blood circulation systems (to be) __________ highways for specialized white blood cells to travel around the body. White blood cells (to include) ____________ B cells, T cells, natural killer cells, and macrophages. Each group (to have) ________ a different responsibility, but all the cells (to function) _____________ . They (to recognize) ___________, (to attack) ______________ and (to destroy) ________________ bacteria, viruses, cancer cells, and all substances seen as foreign.
There (to be) _______ many disorders of the human immune system, e.g. AIDS (to be) ____"Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome", an infectious disease caused by the HIV virus, type I diabetes (sometimes called "juvenile onset diabetes"), multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Many factors can also (to contribute) ______________ to the general weakening of the immune system:
• Malnutrition (unbalanced diet / poor eating habits that(to cause) __________ a lack of vitamins and minerals)
• Alcohol abuse
• Drug abuse either intravenous or other.
• Medications (particularly the use of anti-cancer drugs, corticosteroids, and antibiotics);
• Radiation
• Exposure to certain environmental toxins (e.g. cigarette smoke)
• Stress/Depression - Research shows that psychological stress can greatly (to increase) ___________ your susceptibility to colds and other viral diseases
• Age - Ability of the immune system to respond (to decrease) ______________ at early and old age.
• Decreased ability to heal due to disease or medications (i.e. Diabetes, corticosteroids, immune suppressant drugs)
• Inadequate sleep
• Lack of exercise as well as excessive exercise resulting in physiological stress
• Diseases either infectious or other causing more depression on the immune system like:
o Cancer, and hematological malignancy (such as leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma) in particular.
o Diabetes Mellitus
o Nephrotic syndrome
o Viral infections i.e. viral respiratory infections
o HIV
o Ulcerative colitis
o Liver disease / cirrhosis
Autoimmunity (to be) ____ the failure of an organism to recognise its own constituent parts. Autoimmunity (to result) ______________ in an immune response against its own cells and tissues. Any disease that (to result) ____________ from such an aberrant [ae’berent] (abnormal) immune response (to term) __________ an autoimmune disease. The prominent examples (to be) ______ Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), Sjögren's syndrome and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). It (to establish) ____________________ now well that certain individuals (to be) ______ genetically susceptible to the development of autoimmune diseases.
Sex also (to seem) ______ to have a major role in the development of autoimmunity; most of the known autoimmune diseases (to tend) ___________ to show a female preponderance [pri’ponderens]. Slight exchange of cells between mothers and their children during pregnancy may (to induce) _________ autoimmunity. Certain chemical agents and drugs can also (to associate) _______________with the genesis [‘dzenisis] of autoimmune conditions.
Autoimmune diseases can (to divide) ______________ broadly into systemic and organ-specific or localised autoimmune disorders. This classification (to depend) ________________ on the principal clinico-pathologic features of each disease.
• Systemic syndromes (to include) ____________ Sjögren's syndrome, Scleroderma, Rheumatoid Arthritis and polymyositis.
• Local syndromes may (to be) ________ endocrinologic (diabetes, dermatologic, haematologic (autoimmune haemolytic anaemia), neural (multiple sclerosis).
Diagnosis of autoimmune disorders largely (to rest) __________ on accurate history, physical examination of the patient, routine laboratory tests (example, elevated C-reactive protein), serological assays [e’seiz] which can (to detect) ____________ specific autoantibodies. Localised disorders (to diagnose) ____________ best by immunofluorescence of biopsy specimens [‘spesiminz].
Autoimmune diseases can (to divide) ______________ broadly into systemic and organ-specific or localised autoimmune disorders. This classification (to depend) ________________ on the principal clinico-pathologic features of each disease.
• Systemic syndromes (to include) ____________ Sjögren's syndrome, Scleroderma, Rheumatoid Arthritis and polymyositis.
• Local syndromes may (to be) ________ endocrinologic (diabetes, dermatologic, haematologic (autoimmune haemolytic anaemia), neural (multiple sclerosis).
Diagnosis of autoimmune disorders largely (to rest) __________ on accurate history, physical examination of the patient, routine laboratory tests (example, elevated C-reactive protein), serological assays [e’seiz] which can (to detect) ____________ specific autoantibodies. Localised disorders (to diagnose) ____________ best by immunofluorescence of biopsy OF SPECIMEN.
