Page 2170 - Saunders Comprehensive Review For NCLEX-RN

III. Immunity

A. Innate immunity
1. Innate immunity is also called native or natural
immunity.
2. It is present at birth and includes biochemical,
physical, and mechanical barriers of defense, as well
as the inflammatory response.
B. Acquired immunity
1. Acquired or adaptive immunity is received passively
from the mother’s antibodies, animal serum, or
antibodies produced in response to a disease.
2. Immunization produces active acquired immunity.
IV. Immunizations: See Chapter 18 for information about immunizations
V. Laboratory Studies
A. Antinuclear antibody (ANA) determination
1. The ANA determination is a blood test used for the
differential diagnosis of rheumatic diseases and for
the detection of antinucleoprotein factors and patterns
associated with certain autoimmune diseases.
2. The test is negative at a 1:40 dilution, depending on
the laboratory.
3. A positive result does not necessarily confirm

a disease.
4. The ANA is positive in most individuals diagnosed
with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE); it may also
be positive in individuals with systemic sclerosis
(scleroderma) or rheumatoid arthritis.
5. An ANA result can be false positive in some
individuals.
B. Anti-dsDNA antibody test
1. The anti-dsDNA (double-stranded DNA) antibody test
is a blood test done specifically to identify or
differentiate DNA antibodies found in SLE.
2. The test supports a diagnosis, monitors disease
activity and response to therapy, and establishes a
prognosis for SLE.
3. Values: negative, lower than 70 U/mL by enzyme-
linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
C. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing
+
1. CD4 T cell count
a. Monitors the progression of HIV
b. As the disease progresses, usually the
+
number of CD4 T cells decreases, with
a resultant decrease in immunity.
+
c. The normal CD4 T cell count is

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