Which is correct about inflammation?

• A. Nonspecific protective response against infection
• B. Specific protective response against infection
• C. Occurs after vaccination
• D. Only in chronic disease

Answer: (A)

Inflammation is the body's nonspecific protective response to tissue injury or infection, part of the innate immune system. It acts quickly and broadly to contain damage, kill invading microbes, and start healing, without targeting a particular pathogen. Signs like redness, heat, swelling, and pain come from vascular changes and chemical mediators that increase blood flow and vascular permeability. Because it is nonspecific, it doesn’t rely on recognizing a specific organism or previous exposure—that’s the role of the adaptive immune system with T and B cells. So the best description is that inflammation is a nonspecific protective response against infection. It isn’t something that only happens after vaccination, nor is it limited to chronic disease.