THE HUMAN IMMUNE SYSTEM

The immune system is made up of two parts: the innate (general) immune system and the adaptive (specific) immune system:

The innate immune system incorporates a range of non-specific defences against infection that are instantaneously activated upon the detection of a pathogen. Such defences aim to keep viruses, bacteria, parasites, and other foreign particles out of your body, or mitigate their ability to spread and move around the body. Such defences include physical barriers, defence mechanisms, and general immune responses.

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The adaptive immune system is activated if the innate immune system is unable to destroy / expel the pathogens. It is able to specifically target the type of pathogen that is causing the infection upon recognition of particular unique characteristics. This means that it is not as efficient as the innate immune system, however the adaptive immune system has the ability to ‘remember’ pathogens and respond faster to them if encountered again.