Question 09

Describe how the body defends against infection.

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College Answer

For a good answer candidates were expected to describe physical barriers, innate and acquired
immunity. Physical barriers such as skin, mucous membranes, normal flora, secretions, etc were
poorly covered. Aspects of immunity such as cellular and humoral were better covered but often
lacked a sufficient depth of knowledge.
Syllabus: M2a
References: Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology, Chp 33 and 34