A patient presents with a fungal infection.Which components of the immune system are activated early in the course of the patient's infection?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Macrophages and dendritic cells are key players in the early response to fungal infections. They recognize and phagocytose fungal cells, and then present fungal antigens to T cells to initiate an adaptive immune response. Natural killer cells and antibodies play a role in immunity to viral infections, while polysaccharides and chitins are components of fungal cell walls that can stimulate an immune response but are not themselves immune system components. T cells and B cells are involved in the adaptive immune response to fungal infections but are not among the earliest responders.

A Patient Presents with a Fungal Infection