In this deck, we'll explore how your body defends itself against disease. We'll start with the body's first line of defence, the non-specific systems like your skin and stomach acid. Then, we'll dive into the specific immune response, where your white blood cells target and destroy invading pathogens. Finally, we'll learn how vaccination cleverly uses this system to make you immune to diseases, and how this can protect the whole community through herd immunity.

Your body's first line of defence is a set of non-specific barriers designed to stop pathogens from getting inside in the first place. These barriers are not picky; they work against any type of pathogen. The largest of these is your skin.

The skin acts as a physical barrier. It also produces antimicrobial substances and scabs over when cut to prevent pathogens from entering the bloodstream. Other non-specific defences are found at the entrances to your body. Your nose, for example, is lined with hairs and produces mucus.

If pathogens do get past your nose, they might travel down your windpipe, also known as the trachea, and into the tubes leading to your lungs, the bronchi. These airways are lined with special cells that produce mucus to trap pathogens.