INTERFERON ALFA Meaning and
Definition
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Interferon alfa is a type of protein that is naturally produced by the human body in response to viral infections and certain other diseases. It is also commonly referred to as interferon alpha.
Interferon alfa plays a crucial role in regulating the immune system's response to such infections. It acts by inhibiting the replication of viruses in infected cells and preventing their spread to neighboring healthy cells. Additionally, interferon alfa stimulates the immune system's ability to recognize and destroy virus-infected cells, helping to eliminate the infection more effectively.
Due to its antiviral properties, interferon alfa has been synthesized and used as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of various viral infections, such as hepatitis B and C, genital warts, and some types of cancers, including hairy cell leukemia and melanoma.
Interferon alfa is typically administered as an injection and can lead to a range of side effects, including flu-like symptoms, fatigue, fever, headache, muscle aches, and depression. These side effects are generally temporary and subside after treatment is completed. However, in some cases, more serious side effects can occur, necessitating close monitoring by healthcare professionals.
Overall, interferon alfa is a vital component of the body's immune response to viral infections and has proven effective in treating various conditions characterized by viral replication or immune system dysfunction.
Common Misspellings for INTERFERON ALFA
- unterferon alfa
- jnterferon alfa
- knterferon alfa
- onterferon alfa
- 9nterferon alfa
- 8nterferon alfa
- ibterferon alfa
- imterferon alfa
- ijterferon alfa
- ihterferon alfa
- inrerferon alfa
- inferferon alfa
- ingerferon alfa
- inyerferon alfa
- in6erferon alfa
- in5erferon alfa
- intwrferon alfa
- intsrferon alfa
- intdrferon alfa
- intrrferon alfa
Etymology of INTERFERON ALFA
The word "Interferon" comes from the Latin prefix "inter-" meaning "between, among" and the word "ferre" meaning "to bear, carry". It was coined by the virologist Alick Isaacs and his collaborator Jean Lindenmann in 1957 to describe a substance produced by cells that interferes with viral replication. The "Alfa" part of the term refers to the specific type of interferon. In this case, interferon alfa is a specific variant of interferon that is derived from human leukocytes and used in medical treatments.
