Nokea
A nurse is planning a patients care and is relating it to normal immune response. During what stage of the immune response should the nurse know that antibodies or cytotoxic T cells combine and destroy the invading microbes?
- A. Recognition stage
- B. Proliferation stage
- C. Response stage
- D. Effector stage
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: In the effector stage, either the antibody of the humoral response or the cytotoxic (killer) T cell of the cellular response reaches and couples with the antigen on the surface of the foreign invader. The coupling initiates a series of events that in most instances results in total destruction of the invading microbes or the complete neutralization of the toxin. This does not take place during the three preceding stages.
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A nurse is reviewing a patients medication administration record in an effort to identify drugs that may contribute to the patients recent immunosuppression. What drug is most likely to have this effect?
- A. An antibiotic
- B. A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)
- C. An antineoplastic
- D. An antiretroviral
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Chemotherapy affects bone marrow function, destroying cells that contribute to an effective immune response and resulting in immunosuppression. Antibiotics in large doses cause bone marrow suppression, but antineoplastic drugs have the most pronounced immunosuppressive effect. NSAIDs and antiretrovirals do not normally have this effect.
The nurse is providing care for a patient who has multiple sclerosis. The nurse recognizes the autoimmune etiology of this disease and the potential benefits of what treatment?
- A. Stem cell transplantation
- B. Serial immunizations
- C. Immunosuppression
- D. Genetic engineering
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Clinical trials using stem cells are under way in patients with a variety of disorders having an autoimmune component, including multiple sclerosis. Immunizations and genetic engineering are not used to treat multiple sclerosis. Immunosuppression would exacerbate symptoms of MS.
The nurse knows that the response of natural immunity is enhanced by processes that are inherent in the physical and chemical barriers of the body. What is a chemical barrier that enhances the response of natural immunity?
- A. Cell cytoplasm
- B. Interstitial fluid
- C. Gastric secretions
- D. Cerebrospinal fluid
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Chemical barriers, such as mucus, acidic gastric secretions, enzymes in tears and saliva, and substances in sebaceous and sweat secretions, act in a nonspecific way to destroy invading bacteria and fungi. Not all body fluids are chemical barriers, however. Cell cytoplasm, interstitial fluid, and CSF are not normally categorized as chemical barriers to infection.
A neonate exhibited some preliminary signs of infection, but the infants condition resolved spontaneously prior to discharge home from the hospital. This infants recovery was most likely due to what type of immunity?
- A. Cytokine immunity
- B. Specific immunity
- C. Active acquired immunity
- D. Nonspecific immunity
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Natural immunity, or nonspecific immunity, is present at birth. Active acquired or specific immunity develops after birth. Cytokines are proteins that mediate the immune response; they are not a type of immunity.
An infection control nurse is presenting an inservice reviewing the immune response. The nurse describes the clumping effect that occurs when an antibody acts like a cross-link between two antigens. What process is the nurse explaining?
- A. Agglutination
- B. Cellular immune response
- C. Humoral response
- D. Phagocytic immune response
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Agglutination refers to the clumping effect occurring when an antibody acts as a cross-link between two antigens. This takes place within the context of the humoral immune response, but is not synonymous with it. Cellular immune response, the immune systems third line of defense, involves the attack of pathogens by T-cells. The phagocytic immune response, or immune response, is the systems first line of defense, involving white blood cells that have the ability to ingest foreign particles.