Inflammation is a component of the normal host defence mechanism that provides protection from infection and other insults. The inflammatory response involves interactions amongst many cell types and the production of a number of chemical mediators. These mediators are damaging to pathogens but may also cause damage to host tissues. However, the inflammatory response is normally well regulated and resolves rapidly due to the activation of negative feedback mechanisms (e.g. secretion of anti‐inflammatory cytokines or resolving lipid mediators), the inhibition of pro‐inflammatory signaling cascades, the shedding of receptors for inflammatory mediators and the activation of regulatory cells. Nevertheless, loss of the usual regulatory processes can result in excessive or on‐going inflammation that can cause irreparable damage to host tissues. As a result disease can occur. …show more content…
Acute inflammation is the initial response of the body to harmful stimuli and is characterized by the increased movement of plasma and leucocytes (especially granulocytes) from the blood into the injured tissues. A cascade of biochemical events prolong and mature the inflammatory response. Typically acute inflammation resolves within a period of hours to days. If it is prolonged, it is termed chronic inflammation and this may last for years. Chronic inflammation involves a progressive shift in the type of cells present at the site of inflammation and is characterized by simultaneous destruction and healing of the tissue by the on‐going inflammatory process; although the result may be pathological indicating that the destruction predominates over the
The immunologic events that are happening at the local level during Carlton's acute inflammatory response would be:
Inflammation: the response to injured tissue that stops bleeding and causes swelling and warmth as the tissue prepares to repair itself
“Immune Response: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia.” National Library of Medicine - National Institutes of Health. Web. 18 Dec. 2011. .
Capriotti & Frizzell (2016) explain that sepsis is often seen in those who have a weak immune system. These individuals are at an increased risk of developing sepsis from microorganisms that a healthy immune system would normally fight off (Capriotti et al. 2016). The elderly, infants, and immunosuppressed patients are the most at risk for developing the condition (Capriotti et al. 2016). Sepsis can be caused by any microbe, but is most often caused by bacteria (Capriotti et al. 2016). Since sepsis has such a broad reach and can develop as a secondary infection after an initial injury or illness, Capriotti & Frizzell (2016) further explain the di...
Arthritis is a general term for approximately 100 diseases that produce either INFLAMMATION of connective tissues, particularly in joints, or noninflammatory degeneration of these tissues. The word means "joint inflammation," but because other structures are also affected, the diseases are often called connective tissue diseases. The terms rheumatism and rheumatic diseases are also used. Besides conditions so named, the diseases include gout, lupus erythematosus, ankylosing spondylitis, degenerative joint disease, and many others, among them the more recently identified LYME DISEASE.
Sepsis is defined as an exaggerated, overwhelming and uncontrolled systemic inflammatory response to an initially localised infection or tissue injury, which may lead to severe sepsis and septic shock if left untreated (Daniels, 2009; Robson & Daniels, 2013; Dellinger et al, 2013; Perman, Goyal & Gaieski, 2012; Vanzant & Schmelzer, 2011). Septic shock can be classified by acute circulatory failure as a result of massive vasodilation, increased capillary permeability and decreased vascular resistance in the body, causing refractory hypotension despite adequate fluid resuscitation. This leads to irreversible tissue ischaemia, end organ failure and ultimately, death (McClelland & Moxon, 2014; Sagy, Al-Qaqaa & Kim, 2013, Dellinger et al, 2013).
The inflammatory response is a nonspecific response to cellular injury and bacterial invasion. Inflammation is the primary defense in early gingivitis. Biofilm can initiate an inflammatory response if it is left undisturbed for as little as seventy two hours. Redness and swelling are two of the cardinal signs of inflammation and can be observed clinically in gingivitis. Histamine is released by mast cells and responsible for the redness and swelling of tissues. Histamine causes both an increase in vascularity and permeability of blood vessels at the site of injury. Swelling may occur in response to the accumulation of fluid at a specific site. The inflammatory response includes cellular components of the immune system polymorphonuclear leukocytes and macrophages. Polymorphonuclear leukocytes are crucial to the cellular immune response. Polyporphonuclear leukocytes are the first cells that arrive at an inflammatory site. Polymorphonuclear leukocytes arrive at the site via chemotaxis, and begin to phagocytize bacteria. As the disease continues and the inflammatory reaction is not strong enough to subside the bacterial infection the immune response is further
Hospital acquired infections are one of the most common complications of care in the hospital setting. Hospital acquired infections are infections that patients acquired during the stay in the hospital. These infections can cause an increase number of days the patients stay in the hospital. Hospital acquired infections makes the patients worse or even causes death. “In the USA alone, hospital acquired infections cause about 1.7 million infections and 99,000 deaths per year”(secondary).
Up to 15 % of global cancers have been associated to infections, furthermore there is strong evidence that chronic inflammation, and autoimmune reactions can increase the risk of cancer (2). Inflammation can act as initiator of cancer, since local inflammation enriches tissue in oxygen, nitrogen and free radicals that kill pathogens, and can directly cause DNA damage, and DNA mutations (3).
Stress does not directly causes infections or ill-health to a person. Instead, the products produced in the process of stress interfere with the usual operations of the immune system. Numerous studies have proved that stress has an immunosuppressive effect, which means the functions of the immune system is reduced when an individual is experience stress (Gross et al., 2008). Corticosteroids are initially produced during the alarm stage of the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), they do not usually cause any harm to the immune system. However, if the presence of corticosteroids is prolonged in the blood due to chronic stress, they can interfere with the production of the antibodies leaving the body vulnerable to harmful virus and bacteria (Gross et al., 2008). As described in the G.A.S model by Selye, individuals might experience drastic changes in their body such as high blood pressures and heart rates in order to cope during the stressful situations. If these changes are prolonged, this could lead to permanent damage to the body (Bailey et al, 2008).
When a child falls and scraps their knee or gets a cut in his or her hand, their first conscious instinct is to cry and run to the nearest parent, however their body’s first instinct is to contain and coagulate the blood. Even as adults, people never have to sit there after getting a paper cut and think, “Ok body, coagulate!” The body jumps into action automatically and without any prompting from our conscious mind. In a typical wound, the body goes through four stages; hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2903966/). In hemostasis, the skin constricts and a clot forms. Once the cut has coagulated, the inflammation cells enter the wound and remove invading microbes and debris. The proliferation phase overlaps with the inflammation phase to rebuild collagen and granulation tissue so a scab will appear. The ...
Chronic bronchitis is a disorder that causes inflammation to the airway, mainly the bronchial tubules. It produces a chronic cough that lasts three consecutive months for more than two successive years (Vijayan,2013). Chronic Bronchitis is a member of the COPD family and is prominently seen in cigarette smokers. Other factors such as air pollutants, Asbestos, and working in coal mines contributes to inflammation. Once the irritant comes in contact with the mucosa of the bronchi it alters the composition causing hyperplasia of the glands and producing excessive sputum (Viayan,2013). Goblet cells also enlarge to contribute to the excessive secretion of sputum. This effects the cilia that carry out the mechanism of trapping foreign bodies to allow it to be expelled in the sputum, which are now damaged by the irritant making it impossible for the person to clear their airway. Since the mechanism of airway clearance is ineffective, the secretion builds up a thickened wall of the bronchioles causing constriction and increasing the work of breathing. The excessive build up of mucous could set up pneumonia. The alveoli are also damaged enabling the macrophages to eliminate bacteria putting the patient at risk for acquiring an infection.
IN CONCLUSION, we can say that stress produces hormones (particularly glucocorticoids) which have a negative impact on the immune system when our bodies are exposed to them for a long period of time. However, when our immune system is exposed to particular stressors for a shorter period of time it may actually have a positive effect on our immune system and actually give it a “boost”. Stress in general has a major effect on our cytokines, natural killer cells and our T-lymphocytes, as they are most sensitive to the anti-inflammatory glucocorticoids. The Macrophage migratory inhibitory factor is one of the main reasons why our immune systems become hypersensitive to any allergens, when our bodies produce glucocorticoids. Stress therefore does have quite a large effect on our immune system and our body’s ability to fight disease.
(A)Wound healing is a biological process occurring in the human body. In this lecture we had discussed about both acute and chronic wounds. An acute wound is an injury to the skin that occurs suddenly rather than over time. It heals at a predictable and expected rate according to the normal wound healing process. The chronic wounds do not heal in an orderly set of stages and in a predictable amount of time the way most wounds do.