Question

For Listeria: In your opinion, would the innate immune system or the adaptive immune system be more effective at fighting off this infection? Explain your answer and provide examples as support.

Answer 1

Both the innate and adaptive immune systems are crucial to the recognition and elimination of Listeria monocytogens from the host. In 1960s Mackaness demonstrated that cellular immunity was critical for control of infection in mice. Based on his model, when bacteria are intravenously injected into the bloodstream of mice - within minutes most bacteria can be found in the spleen and liver where they are quickly internalized by macrophages. In a sub lethal infection, bacteria replicate until their numbers are controlled by activated macrophages. The development of a specific T cell response is necessary to eliminate the bacteria and memory T cells provide protection against reinfection.