Once germs are inside your body, your immune system tries to protect you. It looks for and destroys germs. How does it do that? Special cells patrol your body. Some of these cells actually eat germs! Other cells make antibodies. An antibody sticks to a germ. There is a different antibody for each kind of germ. Some antibodies keep germs from making you sick. Others help your body find and kill germs. After a germ is destroyed, the antibodies stay in your body. They protect you if the same kind of germ comes back. That way you will not get the same illness twice.