Expert: Neal Okerson - 3/20/2005

Question
How do our bodies get sick?

Answer
The most common sickness is a virus. To keep it simple let me say that the virus is an organism which lives it life attached to other organisms. It is a little like a tick, only more involved. The organism spreads throughout a particular area of the body (like upper respiratory tract for a cold virus) and causes the tissues to react. This reaction includes swelling, increased secretions, tenderness and etc. The immune system will dectect the virus and adjusts its killer cells (like T cells) to go kill the invading virus. We commonly pick this type of sickness by touching a door handle that has these virus cells (usually carried in mucus via sneezing and coughing) and then transfer it to our nose or eyes by rubbing. It usually has nothing to do with our body getting cold.

This is one common example. Others may trigger a fever, throwing up, and aches and pains depending on the area affected.

Neal