What is the immune system exactly, and how does it help repel intruders

Immune systems will need to adapt unaided to COVID-19. The immune system is the body’s multi-level defence network against potentially harmful bacteria, viruses and other organisms.

The corona virus pandemic has turned the world’s attention to the immune system, the body’s defence force against disease-causing bacteria, viruses and other organisms that we touch, ingest and inhale every day.

Think of it as the body’s personal army working from the cellular to macro level. Each cell, molecule, tissue and organ in this army plays a vital role in warding off invading pathogens, and also helps guard against internal threats like cancer.

The system has two types of response: innate and adaptive.

The body’s natural barriers against disease-causing intruders – for example, our skin, the mucous and hairs in our nose, and the acid in our stomachs – are part of our innate immune systems.

Adaptive immunity develops over a lifetime of contact with pathogens and vaccines, preparations which help our immune systems to distinguish friend from foe.

Vaccination safely teaches our adaptive immune systems to repel a wide range of diseases, and thus protect ourselves and others.

There is currently no vaccine for corona virus, and we may not see one for 18 months or longer. So, for now, our immune systems must adapt unaided to this potentially deadly threat.

A healthy lifestyle – not smoking, drinking little or no alcohol, sleeping well, eating a balanced diet, taking regular moderate exercise and reducing stress – helps our immune systems to be in the best shape possible to tackle pathogens.

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended basic protective measures against COVID-19 are frequent hand washing with soap and water, or cleaning hands with an alcohol-based rub; maintaining social distancing; avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth; and covering your nose and mouth with a bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze.

These simple actions are vital to slowing the spread of a new disease like the coronavirus – to which nearly everyone is susceptible, but particularly older people and those with underlying health conditions.

Benefits on Publication:

Open Access: Permanent free access to your article upon publication ensures extensive global reach and readership.

Easy Article Sharing: Our open access enables you to share your article directly with colleagues through email and on social media via a single link, permitting third party reuse with appropriate citation in addition to the retention of content copyright by the author.

Global Marketing: Through promotion in a targeted global email announcement or press release, your article will be seen by thousands of the top-most thought-leaders in your field.

Social Media Exposure: Extended reach for your article through links on Twitter accounts provides maximum visibility worldwide.

Reprints: Distribute your work to colleagues and at conferences as we provide hard copy color reprints of your article on order.

Media Contact:
Robert Solomon
Managing Editor | Immunogenetics: Open Access