Did you know that you have an adaptive immune system, which creates a response against specific organisms? That’s why if you were once exposed to chicken pox or measles, you have a lifetime of immunity against it. When you have it, your body creates antibodies. Antibodies are specific to a particular organism or virus.
How You Use Long-Term Immunity
If we come into contact with that same organism again, your body already knows: it’s time to go! Your adaptive immune system kicks into high gear and goes after it immediately to wipe it out. That’s why you won’t get certain diseases a second time: your adaptive immune system gives you long-term immunity.
When a sickness first enters your body, your innate immune system recognizes that something isn’t quite right and mounts a defense. Then, your adaptive immune system finishes off the job by having a long-term store of soldiers, permanently waiting to attack that particular organism. You can quickly get rid of it without being subject to a second illness.
What happens, however, when a particular organism can plague you more than once? That all depends on the virulence of the organism. We’ll cover more about that and what you need to know in our next blog and video post.
Be Blessed,
Dr. William Kriva and the Parkview Chiropractic Clinic Team