A patient tells the nurse that he's happy that his wife did not "catch" the same cold from which he has recently recovered. The nurse realizes that what most likely occurred in his wife?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The fact that the patient's wife did not "catch" the same cold from which he recently recovered suggests that she had already been exposed to the virus and had developed memory T-helper 2 cells that were able to recognize and fight off the virus upon re-exposure. Therefore, option D, T-helper 2 memory of a previous exposure to the same virus that caused the patient's illness, is the most likely occurrence in his wife. Option A, release of cytokines, and B, proliferation of CD 8 cells, are not directly related to the wife's immunity to the virus. Option C, T-helper 1 stimulation to kill unidentified cells, does not apply in this situation as the virus is already identified as the cause of the patient's illness.

A Patient Tells the Nurse That He's Happy That His