Anergy is defined as which?

Anergy is defined as which?

• A. Overproduction of white blood cells
• B. Absence of the normal immune response to a particular antigen or allergen
• C. Hyperreactivity to allergens
• D. Lack of immune system development

Answer: (B)

Anergy is the absence of a normal immune response to a specific antigen or allergen. This means the immune cells are present but become unresponsive to that particular trigger, a state used to maintain tolerance and prevent inappropriate reactions. That specific unresponsiveness explains why the described definition fits best. The other scenarios imply responses that aren’t about a lack of reaction to a specific antigen: overproduction of white blood cells signals excess leukocytes rather than unresponsiveness; hyperreactivity to allergens describes an exaggerated response, not a muted one; and lack of immune system development refers to failure to form components of immunity, not a targeted unresponsiveness to a particular antigen.

Anergy is the absence of a normal immune response to a specific antigen or allergen. This means the immune cells are present but become unresponsive to that particular trigger, a state used to maintain tolerance and prevent inappropriate reactions. That specific unresponsiveness explains why the described definition fits best. The other scenarios imply responses that aren’t about a lack of reaction to a specific antigen: overproduction of white blood cells signals excess leukocytes rather than unresponsiveness; hyperreactivity to allergens describes an exaggerated response, not a muted one; and lack of immune system development refers to failure to form components of immunity, not a targeted unresponsiveness to a particular antigen.