NATURAL IMMUNITY

 NATURAL IMMUNITY is the inherited ability

to remain resistant to or unaffected by a
specific disease.
 Natural immunity is resistance that one
inherits from one's parents, in contrast
to acquired immunity, which one develops
over the course of one's life.
 Natural immunity describes the state of being able to
resist illnesses; such a condition originates in a
healthy immune system
 Resistance possessed by an individual by birth
 NATURAL IMMUNITY is the inborn resistance to
diseases which is also called as INNATE IMMUNITY
or GENETIC IMMUNITY
 Provide first line of defense against infections
• It is uniform in all members of a species.

• It does not provide immunological

memory.

• It is provided by defensive barriers like

anatomic, physiological, phagocytic, and
inflammatory barriers.
TYPES OF NATURAL IMMUNITY
:

• INDIVIDUAL IMMUNITY

• RACIAL IMMUNITY

• SPECIES IMMUNITY
 1. SPECIES IMMUNITY

. The total immunity shown by all members of a

species against pathogen
eg : birds immune to tetanus
: B . anthracis
 2. Racial immunity
. Its that in which various races show marked
difference in their resistance to certain infectious
disease
3. Individual immunity

. Very specific for each and every individual

despite having same racial background and
opportunity for exposure.
FACTORS AFFECTING

. Age
. Hormones
. Nutrition
 AGE

. Foetus or new born and old persons carry

higher susceptibility to various infections.

. Foetus immune system is immature

. Old age there is gradual waning of immune

responses
 HORMONES
. Certain hormonal disorders enhance susceptibility to
infections
eg : diabetes mellitus , adrenal dysfunctions , hypothyroidism

. Corticosteroids depress host resistance by its anti-

inflammatory , anti-phagocytic effects and by inhibiting
antibody formation.

. Staphylococcal sepsis is more common in diabetes, which

may be caused by increased level of carbohydrate in tissues
 NUTRITION

. Malnutrition predisposes to bacterial infection

. Both humoral and cell mediated immunity are
reduced in malnutrition.

.
Mechanisms of innate immunity
- Epithelial surfaces
- Antibacterial substances
- Cellular factors
- Inflammation
- Fever
- Acute phase proteins
 Epithelial surfaces
a] MOUTH
-saliva – inhibitory effect on MCOs
- Digestive juice
- high acidity of stomach

b] CONJUNCTIVA
- flushing action of lacrimeal secretions
- anti bacterial substances present in tears–
lysozyme,basic protein, etc
- it acts by splitting certain polysaccharides components
of cell wall of non pathogenic bacteria
c] URINE
- flushing action – bacteria from urethra
- spermine and zinc[ sperm] – antibacterial activity
- acidity of adult vagina – inhospitable to many
pathogens

d] skin
- provides mechanical barrier to microorganisms
- provides bacterial secretions
- the resident bacterial flora of skin and mucous
surfaces
e] RESPIRATORY TRACT

. Its lined by moist mucous surfaces which act as

trapping mechanism

. Inhaled particles are arrested in nasal passage

on moist mucous membrane surfaces

. The hair like cilia propels the particles towards

pharynx and are swallowed or coughed out
ANTIBACTERIAL SUBSTANCE IN BLOOD
AND TISSUES
. Naturally present in blood
. Beta lysin - active against anthrax and related bacilli
. Basic polypeptides – leukins from leucocytes and plakins
from platelets
. Lactic acid – muscle tissue and inflammatory zones
. Lactoperoxidase – present in milk but concept is not
cleared
. Interferons – activated against viral infections
 MICROBIAL ANTAGONISM

. Resident bacterial flora which prevents the colonisation

by pathogenic bacteria

. Alteration in bacterial flora – leads to invasion by

extraneous microbes
 CELLULAR FACTORS
. Once the infective agent cross the epithelial barriers ,
tissue factors come into play for defense .
. Phagocytic cells
. Natural killer cells [NK]
invasion of tissues by infective agent

accumulation of phagocytes in site of infection

deposition of fibrin that entangles the organism

phagocytic cells ingest these organisms and destroy

them
 INFLAMMATION

. Its plays a vital role in killing or inactivating MCOs

. Leads to vasodilation , increased vascular

permeability and cellular infiltration

.
 FEVR
. Rise in body temperature – natural defense
mechanism

- accelerates the physiological process

- destroys the infecting pathogens

- it also stimulates production of interferon

 ACUTE PHASE PROTEINS
.Sudden increase in the plasma concentrations of
certain proteins.

. This includes
- C reactive protein [ CRP]
- Mannose binding protein
- Alpha – 1 – acid glycoprotein
- Serum amyloid p component

. Enhance host resistance prevent tissue injury and

promote repair of inflammatory lesion
STRUCTURES AND MECHANISM
MEDIATORS
Gastrointestinal tract . Enzymes in digestive juices
. Acids in stomach
. Lysozyme present in saliva
Respiratory system . Defensins and cathelicidins in epithelial cells
. Neutrophils,lymphocytes,macrophages and
natural killer cells present in lungs
Urinogenital system . Acidity in urine
. vaginal fluid
Skin . Keratinized stratum corneum of epidermis
. Lysozyme secreated in skin
Phagocytic cells Neutrophils,monocytes,macrophages, by
phagocytosis

Interferons Inhibit multiplication of viruses,parasites and

cancer cells

Complement proteins Accelerate the destruction of microorganisms

 DEFENSIVE BARRIERS

1. Anatomic Barriers:
. These include the skin and mucous
membranes.
 Stratified keratinized epithelium of the skin is
a physical barrier to infection.
 Breaks in the resulting from wounds are
routes of infection. Saliva, tears, and mucus
wash away potential invaders.
 2. Physiological Barriers:
Normal body temperature of many species
inhibits the growth of bacteria.
 Sebum maintains low pH of skin that inhibits
the growth of most microbes.
 Very few ingested microbes can survive the
low pH of gastric juice.
 Lysozyme present in tears dissolves bacterial
cell wall.
 Interferons and complement proteins are also
physiological barriers.
 3. Phagocytic Barriers:
Phagocytes engulf foreign microbes and
protect the host from infections.
 4. Inflammatory Barriers:
Tissue damage caused by an injury or by an
invading pathogenic microbe induces
inflammatory response.
 Characteristic signs of inflammation are
rubor(redness), tumor(swelling), calor(heat),
and dolor(pain).
CONTENTS OF NATURAL IMMUNITY
 Inflammation
 Complement system
 Cells of the innate immune response
 Other vertebrate mechanisms
 Neural regulation of innate immunity
 Pathogen specificity
 Innate immune evasion
FACTORS THAT BOOST IMMUNITY
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Carotenoids
• Biflavenoids
• Garlic
• Zinc
• Selenium
• Omega 3 fatty acids
The major functions of the vertebrate innate
immune system include:
 Recruiting immune cells to sites of infection,
through the production of chemical factors,
including specialized chemical mediators,
called cytokines.
 Activation of the complement cascade to
identify bacteria, activate cells and to promote
clearance of dead cells or antibody complexes.
 The identification and removal of foreign
substances present in organs, tissues, the blood
and lymph, by specialized white blood cells.
 Activation of the adaptive immune
system through a process known as antigen
presentation.
 Acting as a physical and chemical barrier to
infectious agents
CELLS OF THE NATURAL IMMUNITY
• Mast cells
• Phagocytes
➢ Macrophages
➢ Neutrophils
➢ Dendritic cells
• Basophils and eosinophils
• Natural killer cells
• γδ T cells
A MACROPHAGE
A NEUTROPHIL
AN EOSINOPHIL