CASE HISTORY Luke,a 24-Year-Old Mechanic from Egypt Beach,Massachusetts,was Feeling Run-Down.Over the Past

question 2

Essay

CASE HISTORY
Luke,a 24-year-old mechanic from Egypt Beach,Massachusetts,was feeling run-down.Over the past month he had not been eating much and was always tired,and he recently noticed pain just under his right rib cage.His urine had recently turned the color of tea,and his wife noticed that the whites of his eyes were taking on a yellowish tinge.Luke finally went to the doctor,who suspected Luke had cirrhosis,a liver disease.This preliminary diagnosis was based on Luke's symptoms.Luke's abdominal pain was located over the liver,and the color of his urine and the jaundice evident in his eyes all pointed toward liver disease.Luke did not drink alcohol and had never left the country,but when questioned,Luke admitted to taking intravenous drugs.The doctor suspected hepatitis and ordered a series of blood tests to check for the presence of liver enzymes,antihepatitis antibodies,and hepatitis DNA or RNA in his blood.The tests revealed a high level of hepatitis B viral DNA.Luke had hepatitis B disease.
How can cellular immunity,which normally protects the body against known viral and other intracellular pathogens,be harmful to Luke,given his diagnosis? Consider how T cells recognize and respond to cells displaying foreign antigen.

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Definitions:

Macroeconomic Statistics

Quantitative measures that describe the broad economic activities and health of a country, including GDP, inflation rates, and unemployment figures.

Economic Contraction

A decline in the national output as measured by GDP, often associated with a decrease in spending and investment.

Disposable Personal Income

The amount of money that individuals have available to spend and save after income taxes have been accounted for.

Investment Component

The portion of a financial plan or policy that involves putting capital into assets expected to yield returns over time.