Triple Protection System

Triple Defense System: How the body fights infections

When a pathogenic agent, such as a bacterium or virus, attempts to enter the body, it must overcome a series of natural protective barriers that separate the internal environment from the external environment. These barriers act as shields that protect the body from possible infection. However, when the protective barriers are broken, germs can spread through the blood and lymphatic vessels, causing serious diseases such as septicemia. To fight infections, the body uses a triple defense system.

The first protective barrier is formed by the skin and mucous membranes. The skin is the first barrier that prevents bacteria and viruses from entering the body. The epidermis contains sebaceous secretions and sweat, which create a slightly acidic pH environment that destroys fungi, and continuous peeling helps remove bacteria that have managed to penetrate the surface layers of the skin. Orifices such as the eye, nasal, oral, bronchial, anal and genital openings are covered with a thin and very moist epithelium - a mucous membrane that has its own chemical defense mechanisms.

The second protective barrier is the lymphatic system. When local protective barriers are broken, microbes spread through the blood and lymphatic vessels, threatening a general severe infection (septicemia). To avoid this, the lymph nodes swell and form a second protective barrier, activating the production of lymphocytes - real specialists in hunting bacteria.

The third protective barrier consists of immune cells - T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes, capable of recognizing aggressors and producing antibodies specific for each antigen. These immune cells can recognize and destroy infectious agents that have entered the body and protect the body from re-infection. After recovery, the body gains natural immunity, which helps it fight future infections.

In addition, an increase in temperature, common in infectious diseases, is a protective reaction of the body. This is because high temperature helps kill infectious agents and speeds up the healing process. In order to make sure that a person has a fever, they use a thermometer, a device that allows you to accurately determine body temperature. A thermometer consists of a very thin glass tube, about 12 cm long, with a reservoir of mercury at one end, which expands when exposed to heat. The thermometer is usually placed under the armpit or in the groin fold for about 5 minutes. Normal temperature ranges from 36.5 to 37 Celsius. Temperatures above 39 degrees are considered high.

The body's triple defense system is a very effective mechanism for fighting infections. Each protective barrier plays a role in preventing infectious agents from entering the body, and if an infection does occur, these barriers can help the body cope with it quickly and effectively. However, to keep your defenses in good condition, it is important to look after your health, eat right, strengthen your immune system and practice good hygiene.