Antibodies and viruses? need some help..

[Ari1584]

so apparently what i learned about the immune system is incorrect after taking an aamc practice exam...i thought that when a virus infects the body, T-cells are activated to try to destroy the virus directly. Apparently B-cells are invovled by making antibodies?? i thought that b-cells ONLY made antibodies to get rid of bacterial infection? Can someone please give me a short summary of what happens when a virus vs. when bacteria enter the body and how the immune system destroys it? (not too detailed--just overall summary) thanks!

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[Ari1584]

anyone?? i am taking the test in like 4 days and i am still really confused on this...thanks for being understanding!

 

[FutureInternist]

Your body DOES make antibodies against viral proteins. Just as one example, someone infected w/ cowpox is able to fight off a smallpox infection (cowpox & smallpox viruses share some surface proteins)
The body does not distinguish b/w bacterial or viral proteins. To them, they are all foreign & hence bad.

 

[Live4Life]

so apparently what i learned about the immune system is incorrect after taking an aamc practice exam...i thought that when a virus infects the body, T-cells are activated to try to destroy the virus directly. Apparently B-cells are invovled by making antibodies?? i thought that b-cells ONLY made antibodies to get rid of bacterial infection? Can someone please give me a short summary of what happens when a virus vs. when bacteria enter the body and how the immune system destroys it? (not too detailed--just overall summary) thanks!

Think about it from a much more basic level. Are there vaccinations available for viral pathogens? Think about varicella, mumps, or flu. Are these viruses? Yes.

Humoral immunity (think B-cells, think antibodies) is effective against bacteria, fungi, parasites, viruses, and blood toxins.

Cell-mediated immunity (think T-cells) is effective against YOUR bodies own cells that have been infected (by viruses---bacteria----blah). Killer T cells also are responsible for fighting some cancers cells and foreign cells/tissues (think transplanted organs).

Hope this helps.

 

[Ari1584]

Think about it from a much more basic level. Are there vaccinations available for viral pathogens? Think about varicella, mumps, or flu. Are these viruses? Yes.

Humoral immunity (think B-cells, think antibodies) is effective against bacteria, fungi, parasites, viruses, and blood toxins.

Cell-mediated immunity (think T-cells) is effective against YOUR bodies own cells that have been infected (by viruses---bacteria----blah). Killer T cells also are responsible for fighting some cancers cells and foreign cells/tissues (think transplanted organs).

Hope this helps.

Thanks so much! Def helps!

 

[kish180]

so apparently what i learned about the immune system is incorrect after taking an aamc practice exam...i thought that when a virus infects the body, T-cells are activated to try to destroy the virus directly. Apparently B-cells are invovled by making antibodies?? i thought that b-cells ONLY made antibodies to get rid of bacterial infection? Can someone please give me a short summary of what happens when a virus vs. when bacteria enter the body and how the immune system destroys it? (not too detailed--just overall summary) thanks!

T- cells are activated by the MHC I/II system - it essentially means that random samples are taken and chopped up, and if in the chopped up mess a t-cell recognizes something foreign it is activated. thus this would work for both viruses and bacteria.
you seem to be confused about an important point, B-CELLS WILL MAKE ANTIBODIES WHEN THEY ARE ACTIVATED. basically mature b-cells float around with antibodies attached to them like antenae. because of the maturation process, the antibodies will never attach to body cells, so if they attach to something, it MUST be foreign and thus the b-cell will replicate into identical b-cells which rapidly produce this antibody AND secrete it. some of these b-cells also hang around, and dont bother with producing but are 'memory' b-cells - if the foreign body comes around again later they can quickly replicate and destroy the infection