Your written assignment for this module should be a 1-2 page paper (not including title page and reference page) that describes the following:
What are the different types of immunities and give an example of each
Describe how stress impacts the immunity of a person You should include a minimum of 3 scholarly references. Include a title page, in-text citations, and a reference page in APA format. Stress and Immunity Essay Paper
Stress and Immunity
Immunity is termed as the ability of the body to protect itself from infections caused by pathogens in the body. It involves the body’s capability to detect malicious microorganisms such as pathogens and resisting their action in the body. There are four major types of immunity that include active, passive, innate and adaptive/acquired immunity. To start with, active immunity is type that is naturally developed by the body’s immune system when an individual gets into contact with an infectious pathogen (Sharma & Sharma, 2022). Human beings are exposed to this type on a daily basis during practices such as eating or even when breathing. Fortunately, majority of the pathogens in this case are harmless. An example of active immunity is the resistance of an individual to strep throat as a result of a previous infection. Passive immunity on the other hand is a type of immunity that is only achieved through something else apart from the body’s immune system. The antibodies are shared from one individual to the other. Passive immunity is short-lived due to its nature of not being continuously replenishable. An example of passive immunity is when antibodies are shared from mother to the baby through breast milk or placenta.
Innate immunity refers to a type of immunity that plays a role of body protection from harmful infections. It does so through producing a quick immune system response after detecting an attack from a pathogen. There are various barriers associated with innate immunity and their aim is to defend the body from bacteria, viruses and parasites among other foreigners. The barriers include; physical barriers such as the skin, nose and eyes; defense mechanisms such as mucous, sweat, gastric acid and tears; and the general immune responses (Cardozo, Rua & Alzate, 2019). Cough reflex is also an example of innate immunity. Adaptive immunity is a type of immunity that one acquires when they are exposed to an infection, pathogen or even after being vaccinated. An example is developing measles and then recovering from the same thus gaining full protection from measles in the entire lifetime. Stress and Immunity Essay Paper
Gaining a feeling of physical or emotional tension is referred to as stress. Stress comes as a result of experiencing an issue or event that triggers anger and frustration. Stress sets the body towards reacting to demand of something or even a challenge. When an individual gets stressed, the capability of the immune system to fight antigens goes down. This is due to the formation of a cortisol hormone that reduces the lymphocytes amount in the blood thus hindering the effectiveness of the immune system towards fighting invaders (Whittaker & Gallagher, 2019). Cortisol also hinders the white blood cells normal communication during the process of fighting these invaders thus influencing the immune system negatively.
References
Cardozo, M. O., Rua, A. M. L., & Alzate, Ó. E. T. (2019). Models of immunity among college
students: their evolution as a result of instruction. Educação e Pesquisa, 45.
https://doi.org/10.1590/S1678-4634201945184698
Sharma, S. R., & Sharma, B. (2022). Immunity: A Step-by-Step Overview. Homœopathic
Links, 35(01), 048-055. https://DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1745813
Whittaker, A. C., & Gallagher, S. (2019). Caregiving alters immunity and stress hormones: a
review of recent research. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 28, 93-97.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cobeha.2019.02.002
Stress and Immunity Essay Paper