Infection

Infection is the process of infection of the human body with a pathogenic agent, which causes the development of an infectious disease or poisoning. This phenomenon is observed when the body is exposed to various agents and has various pathological effects on the body. Infection occurs under the influence of various factors, both depending on the biology of the agent and depending on the individual characteristics of the organism, such as the state of the immune system.

In this article we will look at what mechanisms are involved in the infection process and what factors may influence its speed and extent. We will also look at existing methods of combating infection and what consequences an infectious disease leads to.

The main mechanism of infection When a pathogenic agent enters the body, it begins its activity. This process can occur in several stages: binding to the cell surface, penetration into the cell, multiplication and distribution using the cytoplasm and ribosomes. All these stages occur individually for each agent and are determined by its properties and specificity. However, in a general sense, infection involves the penetration of an agent to the surface of cells and its binding there, allowing it to more easily penetrate and spread throughout the body. One of the main mechanisms of infection is the interaction between the surface antigens of the agent and receptors on the cell membrane. This interaction may be specific, i.e. the agent can bind only to certain types of receptors, or nonspecific, when receptors on the cell surface can interact with any antigen, regardless of the type of cell. As a result of this interaction, changes occur in cell membranes - the polarity of electrochemical potentials changes, the permeability of the membrane for various substances increases, and cells interact with each other. One of the main ways pathogenic agents penetrate into cells is endocytosis, that is, the process of cells capturing various materials from the environment. In order to ensure their participation in the process of endocytosis, some agents have the ability to recognize specialized receptors that can be found on the surface of cells. For example, SARS-CoV-2 has three spike proteins, which, when binding to cell surface receptors, first change the shape of the cell itself and then induce its membrane changes, which facilitates infection. Another group of agents have soluble substances, which, when absorbed by the cell, dissolve in the cytoplasm and cause a change in the cell's metabolism, which leads to its destruction. There are other mechanisms for the penetration of agents into the cell. For example, viruses are able to penetrate a cell without the participation of special receptors. Also, some pathogenic substances can simply damage the cell membrane, which will lead to disruption of the cell and the spread of infection throughout the body in the form of fluids or blood. Fighting infection There are various ways to combat the penetration of pathogenic organisms into our cells. One of the most important elements of the fight is the immune system - a collection of various cells and cytokines that are responsible for containing infection and destroying foreign agents found in the body. Another way to fight is to use antibiotics. They are aimed on the pathogenic element itself and help help