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The capacity to defend the human body against diseases Thank you in advance for the help! Our defences can be considered in two parts-the non-specific defences and the specific immune system"

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The capacity to defend the human body against diseases Thank you in advance for the help! Our defences can be considered in two parts-the non-specific defences and the specific immune system".

Before elucidating non-specific and specific mechanisms of defence, it is imperative to note that there are three lines of defence against disease-causing microorganisms in the body. The first line of defence according to Wikibooks Contributors (2006) involves locking alien maters or attacker outside the body and this function is attained by the skin and mucous membranes. The second line of defence is now what is referred to as the non-specific mechanism of defence and deals with pathogens that have managed to pass through the first line of defence. The third line of defence includes the specific mechanisms and comprises of actions by B lymphocytes to produce antibodies and T-cells to help the antibodies destroy antigens or alien substances.

Stainton et-al (2009) in their book Tabbners Nursing Care: Theory and Practice categorises Non-specific defences into two main groups namely external and internal defences. Additionally, Stainton et-al (2009: n.d) asserts that "external defences are the mechanical and chemical barriers that protect the potential entry points invasion by microorganisms. Internal defences are the automatic protective actions of the inflammatory process, phagocytic cells, natural killer cells and protective proteins". Example of a mechanical defence is the skin.

It is worth noting that the non-specific defences include components and activities involved in the normal functioning of the body and examples include the skin, blood clotting, inflammation, and gut. The skin is the outer layer or covering of the body that physically blocks microorganisms from entering the body (Russell, Hertz and McMillan, 2011). There is also a chemical manufactured by the skin referred to as sebum and this hampers the development of bacteria, viruses, and other germs on the skin.