A patient consumed food contaminated with pathogenic bacteria. However, the patient did not become ill. The doctor explained to the patient that the acidity of the patient’s stomach can kill many organisms, including bacteria. This type of protection would be classified as?

• A. Adaptive immunity; which provides nonspecific immunity.
• B. Adaptive immunity; which provides immunity against specific pathogens.
• C. Innate immunity; which provides nonspecific immunity.
• D. Innate immunity; which provides immunity against specific pathogens.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the two main types of immunity: innate and adaptive. Innate immunity is the body's first line of defense and provides nonspecific protection against pathogens. Adaptive immunity is more specific and involves the body's ability to recognize and remember specific pathogens.
2. Consider the role of stomach acidity in the immune response. The stomach's acidic environment is a nonspecific defense mechanism that can kill a wide range of pathogens, including bacteria, before they can cause harm.
3. Identify the characteristics of innate immunity. It includes physical barriers like skin and mucous membranes, chemical barriers like stomach acid, and cellular defenses like phagocytes. These defenses are always present and ready to respond to pathogens.
4. Differentiate between nonspecific and specific immunity. Nonspecific immunity, part of innate immunity, does not target specific pathogens but rather provides a general defense. Specific immunity, part of adaptive immunity, targets specific pathogens and involves memory cells.
5. Conclude that the protection provided by stomach acidity is an example of innate immunity, as it is a nonspecific defense mechanism that helps prevent infection by killing a broad range of pathogens.