MadSci Network: Immunology
Query:

Re: How long is your immunity, after infection, to a particular cold virus?

Date: Sun Feb 19 18:49:43 2006
Posted By: Vitor Pordeus, M.D., Clinical Research Unity
Area of science: Immunology
ID: 1128906587.Im
Message:

Dear Marc,

We actually don't understand how all vaccines work, although the first vaccination against smallpox dates from 1796. There are too many unresolved issues in vaccination and immunological memory, since we haven't explained how the immune system develops and maintains itself within the organism.

However regarding flu and cold viruses, these viruses have high capacities to mutate so that each year new subtypes of the virus are responsible for cold endemics or even epidemics. Besides, there are thousands of different influenza virus, but only a few of them are really associated with disease in humans. The real question is to know which specific subtype will be disease causing in a given year, but here too factors related to the patient are very relevant. So this makes an extremely complicated and complex picture that our simplistic minds are having a big big work to understand. But remember this: disease is always the exception, our organism and the biological order are very reliable systems, even in the worst scenario, most of patients will survive. Trust life, it is a very competent system! hope all is clear and never hesitate in asking more!

Best regards

Vitor


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