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In immunology, systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is an inflammatory state affecting the whole body. [1] It is the body's response to an infectious or noninfectious insult . Although the definition of SIRS refers to it as an "inflammatory" response, it actually has pro- and anti-inflammatory components.
Immunotherapy for the treatment of cancer is an active area of medical research. [141] The main response of the immune system to tumors is to destroy the abnormal cells using killer T cells, sometimes with the assistance of helper T cells. [138] [142] Tumor antigens are presented on MHC class I molecules in a similar way to viral antigens.
An immune response is a physiological reaction which occurs within an organism in the context of inflammation for the purpose of defending against exogenous factors. These include a wide variety of different toxins, viruses, intra- and extracellular bacteria, protozoa, helminths, and fungi which could cause serious problems to the health of the host organism if not cleared from the body.
The suppression of CD4 T cells by HIV (or by immunosuppressive drugs) causes a decrease in the body's normal response to certain infections. Not only does this make it more difficult to fight the infection, it may mean that a level of infection that would normally produce symptoms is instead undetected (subclinical infection).
Sepsis is a potentially life-threatening condition that arises when the body's response to infection causes injury to its own tissues and organs. [4] [7] This initial stage of sepsis is followed by suppression of the immune system. [8] Common signs and symptoms include fever, increased heart rate, increased breathing rate, and confusion. [1]
Determining the presence of a hospital acquired infection requires an infection control practitioner (ICP) to review a patient's chart and see if the patient had the signs and symptom of an infection. Surveillance definitions exist for infections of the bloodstream, urinary tract, pneumonia, surgical sites and gastroenteritis. [citation needed]
Infections can be caused by a wide range of pathogens, most prominently bacteria and viruses. [2] Hosts can fight infections using their immune systems. Mammalian hosts react to infections with an innate response, often involving inflammation, followed by an adaptive response. Treatment for infections depends on the type of pathogen involved.
Positive acute-phase proteins serve (as part of the innate immune system) different physiological functions within the immune system.Some act to destroy or inhibit growth of microbes, e.g., C-reactive protein, mannose-binding protein, [3] complement factors, ferritin, ceruloplasmin, serum amyloid A and haptoglobin.