Which immunity leads to development of autoimmune disorders in an individual?

RRB Nsg. Superintendent - 29 April 2025 (Shift-3rd)

Applied Physiology

Easy

Appeared in: RRB Nsg. Superintendent - 29 April 2025 (Shift-3rd)

Explanation

Autoimmunity is a pathological process where the immune system loses its ability to distinguish self from non-self, a concept known as loss of self-tolerance.
This failure causes the immune system to produce autoantibodies and cytotoxic T-cells that attack and destroy the body's own healthy cells and tissues.
This process is the direct cause of various autoimmune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and type 1 diabetes.

Option A: Natural immunity, also known as innate immunity, is the body's non-specific, first line of defense. It acts generally against all pathogens and does not involve the specific recognition of self-antigens that is characteristic of autoimmunity.
Option B: Active immunity is a protective response acquired after exposure to a foreign antigen, either through natural infection or vaccination. While the mechanisms of active immunity (T-cells, B-cells) are involved, the term itself refers to a normal, beneficial response against foreign threats, not a pathological attack on self.
Option C: Passive immunity is a temporary form of protection acquired by receiving pre-formed antibodies from another source, such as from mother to fetus via the placenta. The host's immune system is not actively generating the response, and this process does not cause a chronic attack on the body's own tissues.

Visual 1: Diagram - A comparative diagram showing a normal immune response where immune cells attack a bacterium, alongside an autoimmune response where immune cells attack a healthy body cell (e.g., a pancreatic beta cell).
Visual 2: Flowchart - A chart classifying the types of immunity. It would branch into Innate (Natural) and Acquired. Acquired would then branch into Active (Natural/Artificial) and Passive (Natural/Artificial), with a separate box for Autoimmunity as a pathological state.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Types of immunity and the pathophysiology of autoimmune disorders as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses are central to the care of patients with autoimmune disorders. This includes administering complex medication regimens (like immunosuppressants), managing chronic pain and inflammation, providing wound care for tissue damage, and educating patients on preventing infections, which they are more susceptible to.
What if? If a patient with rheumatoid arthritis on immunosuppressive therapy develops a low-grade fever, the nurse must act with urgency. This seemingly minor symptom could indicate a serious infection that the patient's compromised immune system cannot fight. The nurse should immediately assess for other signs of infection and report to the physician, as this can be a medical emergency.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key concept in the question stem, which is the cause of 'autoimmune disorders'.
Next, analyze the options by recalling their definitions. An 'autoimmune' disorder implies a problem with 'autoimmunity'.
Define each term: Natural (innate), Active (acquired, self-made), Passive (acquired, given), and Autoimmunity (self-attack).
Compare the definition of an autoimmune disorder (immune system attacking the body's own tissues) with the definitions of the options.
The term 'Autoimmunity' directly describes this pathological process of self-attack.
Eliminate the other options as they describe normal, protective immune functions against foreign pathogens.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Types of immunity and the pathophysiology of autoimmune disorders.
Stem keywords: immunity, autoimmune disorders
Lead-in keywords: Which

QHrXoRfPjeJ1_WIgrIWTn8