|
|
Article: The immune system: everybody's defensive line. (includes related article on bolstering the immune system)
- Article from:
- Current Events, a Weekly Reader publication
- Article date:
- April 1, 1989
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1989 Weekly Reader Corp. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
The Immune System
It's a dangerous world out there. Fungi, bacteria, viruses, parasites--what we commonly call germs--are everywhere. These microscopic organisms abound in lakes, in the air, in living rooms, in school classrooms. They stalk us constantly, seeking entry into our bodies. It's amazing that we don't get sick more often.
But through eons of evolution, we have develeoped a highly efficient and intricate survival kit, the immune system, that wards off these invaders. Because of the immune system, roughly 90 percent of the viruses and bacteria that enter the body daily never successfully infect us. Usually, we are unaware of the battles the ...