Question

Bacteria have developed ways to evade the immune system, giving them an advantage as they seek the best environment to live and grow. From the list below, select methods used by bacteria to prevent immune cells from doing their job.

a. Inhibiting the ability of phagocytes to move to the bacteria.
b. Changing the DNA of the phagocytes.
c. Fooling the phagocytes by making surface proteins that look familiar.
d. Killing adaptive immune cells.

Answer 1

The option a, b, and d are several methods involved in overcoming host immunity. M.tuberculosis is an example for mimicking the surface proteins that will make surface proteins familiar to phagocytes. Recurrent infection of staphylococcus is due to destruction of adaptive cells by staphylococcal sp.. Exotoxin of pseudomonas inhibit phagocytosis by destruction of macrophages. Other species involved in inhibiting phagocytosis include Bacillus anthracis, Bordetella pertusis etc.