AGING AND THE LYMPHATIC SYSTEM
The aging of
the lymphatic system is apparent in the decreased efficiency of immune
responses. Elderly people are more likely than younger ones to develop
shingles, when an aging immune system cannot keep the chickenpox virus dormant.
They are also more susceptible to infections such as influenza and to what are
called secondary infections, such as pneumonia following a case of the flu.
Vaccines for both of these are available, and elderly people should be
encouraged to get them. Elderly people should also be sure to get a
tetanus-diphtheria booster every 10 years.
Autoimmune
disorders are also more common among older people; the immune system mistakenly
perceives a body tissue as foreign and initiates its des-truction. Rheumatoid
arthritis and myasthenia gravis are examples of autoimmune diseases. The
incidence of cancer is also higher. Malignant cells that once might have been
quickly destroyed remain alive and proliferate.
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