Joseph2


 * 1) Describe the difference between leukocyte and white blood cells.

There is no difference at all between leukocytes and white blood cells. Leukocyte is the scientific name for the white blood cells. Leukocytes are a huge part of your immune system and have many roles.

2. The term proteins are frequently used in the study of immunology. Explain the term/concept proteins. Proteins are consumed by your body too make you stronger and healthier. Proteins are also in many organisms such as the antibodies in your body. Antibodies are microorganisms that are made of protein. Also when bacteria is digested by phagocytes they are broke down in small protein particles.

3. Explain why the Black Death virus, which has caused millions of deaths, was deadly using concepts of immunology. The black death was a deadly virus because it was new to the body. When you gain a virus for the first time your body does not know how to react to it or fight it. Another reason is because you could not get vaccinated against specific illness so your immune system has to adapt. After each time you gain a virus your body will become stronger against it because it has fought the same invaders before.

4. The recent bird flu virus, H7N9, has a 20% fatality rate if one is infected. __ a) what does it mean - 20% fatality rate? __ In my understanding fatality means to be killed or die by something or someone. I think the meaning of 20% fatality rate is the chance of you dying with this flu. I don't know if there is a cure for this but I know that you can be vaccinated for this flu. When you are vaccinated it only gives you a better chance for fighting this disease not making you immune to it.

__ b) How is this virus different from a common flu virus? __ The virus is harder to treat and needs special help from vaccines to fight it. But the common flu virus is easy to treat because you get it so many times and is very "common". You body can usually fight this flu off in a week or two without the help of shots or going to the hospital. You usually take medicine that does not have to be prescribed by a doctor but can be bought at local pharmacies. But with other viruses such as HIV and AIDS it is a lot worse and harder to treat. Sometimes people needs to get vaccine shots and go to the hospital to stop it from spreading.

__ c) Are there ways to prepare our body immune system against such fatal, deadly virus? __ You cannot prevent this viruses from infecting your body or gain full immunity over it but you can lower the chances of fatal deaths. Vaccines are used to helps prepare your body against these diseases by strengthening your immune system. This happens injecting a specific,harmless pathogen into your body. And your body will react to this by fighting it off and strengthening itself against the virus. When a major virus invades your body with the vaccine it is less likely you will die from it.

__ d) The bird flu virus wasn't infectious to humans before; explain why it suddenly turned viral and harmful to humans. __ Now the virus has evolved making it more dangerous to humans. This virus a long time ago was maybe small and harmless microorganisms. But after years of evolution and adaptation it has grown stronger and dangerous that it can be very harmful.

__ e) Right now, the flu is unable to infect a person through human to human transmission; if it can infect through human to human transmissions, what could have changed in the virus? __ The virus could have learned how to fight against the immune system and could adapt to it making it more dangerous to the human body. The virus could evolve in H7N10 and could have new effects on the human body such as immediate death or skin problems.