Question

Explain what immunological factors are involved in the devastating effects of new diseases in previously unexposed populations.

Answer 1

Thanks for asking the question

So there are several factors that affect a completely new population or the unexposed population when a new pathogen is transferred to a previously uninfected area. As said earlier there are several reasons or factors for this to occur few of which include

Global trade and traveling

Migration of people or animals to new areas

new habits, new cultures

Transfer of new vectors

Close contact between different species

Urbanization

Markets

Increased contact with wildlife

Environmental land degradation

Poverty: In such nations where vaccines cannot be supported and large areas are immunocompromised due to improper nutrition

Aging population

Decreased immunization or immunity: These include such as

Handwashing: People neglect the importance of hygiene

Sleep cycles: The hormone cortisol which in lower levels suppress the immune function

Nutrients acquired from food Several vitamins like C, A, E, B6 and B12 and minerals like iron and zinc are important for the proper functioning of immune system.

And for a disease to get established in a particular population two aspects such as

a) the infectious agent to be introduced to a vulnerable population

b) the agent must have the agility to spread rapidly from one individual to the other and cause the infection or disease.

The above-mentioned factors are all interlinked and are the result of each other. These infectious diseases are the major causes of the rate of disease in a population and even the loss of human life.

To understand the immune system if a change in the site of an antigen on surface protein, commonly the hemagglutinin protein, which paths a new variant to infect previously infected persons again because the antigen which is altered is not recognized by the immune system immediately. This is because the human immune system is not ready to recognize and defend the new variant. Example of such diseases include chikungunya, influenza, dengue, tuberculosis, HIV, SARS, and ZIKA etc

Developing vaccines and antimicrobial drugs is a hope or a sigh of relief that such diseases which are infectious can be controlled and also eliminated.

Please do let me know if I can help you with anything.

BEST OF LUCK

Thank you