How do fever and inflammation relate to immunity?

• A. They are specific responses that target a pathogen.
• B. They are nonspecific responses that recruit immune cells and inhibit pathogen growth, part of innate immunity.
• C. They occur only after adaptive response is activated.
• D. They are solely due to antibody action.

Answer: (B)

Fever and inflammation are nonspecific early defenses that belong to the innate immune system. They don’t target a single pathogen; instead they create conditions that slow down microbes and recruit immune cells to the site of infection. Fever, driven by pyrogens, raises body temperature to help inhibit microbial growth and boost immune activity. Inflammation causes redness, heat, swelling, and pain as blood vessels dilate and become more permeable, drawing in neutrophils and macrophages to contain and destroy invaders. These responses help control infection quickly and set the stage for the adaptive, specific immune response, but they don’t depend on prior exposure or antibody action.