HOW THE BODY FIGHTS TO PREVENT DISEASES
If one did a bacteriological or virological analysis of any healthy person or animal, one would discover the various bacteria and viruses which that mammal was living with, and yet looked healthy. The reason for this is that as those microorganisms gain entry into the body of the person, some specialized cells of the body quickly study the characteristics of those micro-organisms with a view to producing antibodies which are specific to each of those invading micro-bodies or organisms. These antibodies exercise the duty of destroying those unwanted disease causing micro-organisms, or at least keep them in check. It is on account of this disease-preventive function that antibodies are also called soldier cells of the body.
Antibodies produced by the Liver cells and cells of other specialized glands, like the thymus gland located along the neck are regarded as the naturally-acquired antibodies. These are some of the things the Almighty God has equipped his creatures with as a mark of His great love and concern for them.
Another aspect of this is in the arrangement which God has made whereby He ensures that before gestation period ends and the infant born, the mammary glands of the mother becomes concentrated with the various antibodies existing in the mother which protects that mother from common or endemic diseases. He has further ensured that these antibodies occupy the first position in the queue of milk stream to be later suckled by the infant. By this arrangement God has ensured that the first out-flow of milk which the infant mammal suckles is very rich in these protective antibodies. Until the antibody-producing organs develop enough to produce sufficient antibodies to guard the young, the antibodies acquired through this ingestion or taking in of the first out-flow of milk (called Colostrum), continues to protect the young. This obtains in all mammals. 1 Antibodies are living cells. Like every living thing, they are born. They grow old, and they die. Therefore they need to be replaced from time to time.
The main artificially acquired antibodies are those produced by a Diagnostic and Research Laboratory, They are produced by first isolating the very bacteria or virus responsible for that deadly disease. The isolated microorganisms are subjected into a state in which they can only cause a mild form of that very disease. Such a mild form will therefore not kill any normal or healthy animal. This process of weakening the disease-causing capabilities of these microorganisms is called attenuation. There are various ways of performing this, but they are not within the scope of this article.. (They are explained in every good book on Bacteriology.)
These attenuated micro-organisms are often referred to as vaccines. The process of introducing them into the body of a healthy animal either by injection or by ingestion or by instillation is referred to as ‘Vaccination’ or inoculation.
It is important, however to note that not all vaccines contain attenuated micro-organisms. Some vaccines are made with completely dead micro-organisms. This is done when the viruses, bacteria, fungi, or protozoa (which-ever is involved) are so powerful that no matter how much they are attenuated they are still capable of causing a virulent disease attack which can kill.
When a vaccine is inoculated into a healthy animal, the local nerves near the gate of entry quickly informs the brain that a stranger has, entered its kingdom. The brain then literally orders that the visitor be closely studied with a view to finding out where his strength lies or what weapons he is carrying, so that they could easily be disarmed and destroyed.
The hormones are therefore dispatched. They come out of the gland where they are living and flow into the blood through the capillary vessels feeding those glands. They sail along the blood circulation until they arrive at the antibody producing factory. (The thymus gland, for instance). They announce their message and stimulate the factory into vigorous operation. The factory spies the foreigner and then discovers how it kills. Then it starts to produce antibodies shaped in a form that can adequately contain the visitors’ powers. If the visitors are few or weak (attenuated), they are soon over-powered. The soldiers that achieved this feat are retained. More of their types are continually produced and pumped into the blood. They now parade the blood stream regularly and any future invasions are promptly contained. The mammal is then said to be protected against that particular disease. This is described as ‘Immunity’ to the disease. This immunity may last for a few weeks, months, years or for life. The duration depends on the type of vaccine. When the period of immunity expires, another vaccination is carried out to maintain the mammal in its protected status. The level continues to fall until it falls below a level where it can no longer offer any protection. Another is given to boost the immunity.
