Nokea
A patient with a history of dermatitis takes corticosteroids on a regular basis. The nurse should assess the patient for which of the following complications of therapy?
- A. Immunosuppression
- B. Agranulocytosis
- C. Anemia
- D. Thrombocytopenia
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Corticosteroids such as prednisone can cause immunosuppression. Corticosteroids do not typically cause agranulocytosis, anemia, or low platelet counts.
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A patient was recently exposed to infectious microorganisms and many T lymphocytes are now differentiating into killer T cells. This process characterizes what stage of the immune response?
- A. Effector
- B. Proliferation
- C. Response
- D. Recognition
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: In the proliferation stage, T lymphocytes differentiate into cytotoxic (or killer) T cells, whereas B lymphocytes produce and release antibodies. This does not occur in the response, recognition, or effector stages.
During a mumps outbreak at a local school, a patient, who is a school teacher, is exposed. She has previously been immunized for mumps. What type of immunity does she possess?
- A. Acquired immunity
- B. Natural immunity
- C. Phagocytic immunity
- D. Humoral immunity
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Acquired immunity usually develops as a result of prior exposure to an antigen, often through immunization. When the body is attacked by bacteria, viruses, or other pathogens, it has three means of defense. The first line of defense, the phagocytic immune response, involves the WBCs that have the ability to ingest foreign particles. A second protective response is the humoral immune response, which begins when the B lymphocytes transform themselves into plasma cells that manufacture antibodies. The natural immune response system is rapid, nonspecific immunity present at birth.
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.
A patients current immune response involves the direct destruction of foreign microorganisms. This aspect of the immune response may be performed by what cells?
- A. Suppressor T cells
- B. Memory T cells
- C. Cytotoxic T cells
- D. Complement T cells
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Cytotoxic T cells (also called CD8 + cells) participate in the destruction of foreign organisms. Memory T cells and suppressor T cells do not perform this role in the immune response. The complement system does not exist as a type of T cell.
A 16-year-old has been brought to the emergency department by his parents after falling through the glass of a patio door, suffering a laceration. The nurse caring for this patient knows that the site of the injury will have an invasion of what?
- A. Interferons
- B. Phagocytic cells
- C. Apoptosis
- D. Cytokines
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Monocytes migrate to injury sites and function as phagocytic cells, engulfing, ingesting, and destroying greater numbers and quantities of foreign bodies or toxins than granulocytes. This occurs in response to the foreign bodies that have invaded the laceration from the dirt on the broken glass. Interferon, one type of biologic response modifier, is a nonspecific viricidal protein that is naturally produced by the body and is capable of activating other components of the immune system. Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is the bodys way of destroying worn out cells such as blood or skin cells or cells that need to be renewed. Cytokines are the various proteins that mediate the immune response. These do not migrate to injury sites.