Two-year-old Jenny is undergoing treatment for leukemia and was exposed recently to chickenpox.Her oncologist decided to give her a dose of interferon.What effect was the physician hoping for with this approach?

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Interferon is a type of protein that can stimulate the immune system to fight off viruses and other pathogens. In this case, the physician hoped that giving Jenny interferon would inhibit the chickenpox infection from developing. This is because interferon can limit the ability of viruses to replicate and spread within cells, and can also help to activate other immune cells that can attack and destroy infected cells. By using interferon, the physician hoped to reduce the severity of Jenny's chickenpox infection and potentially prevent it from causing further complications, which could be especially dangerous given her compromised immune system due to leukemia treatment.

Two-Year-Old Jenny Is Undergoing Treatment for Leukemia and Was Exposed