Immunodeficiency weakens the immune system, making people more susceptible to infections. It can be primary/congenital or acquired, affecting different aspects of immunity. Treatment varies and can include immunoglobulin infusions and medications to boost immunity.
Immunodeficiency is when the body’s immune system is compromised in some way. It doesn’t work as well as it should, which means that people with the condition are much more likely to be vulnerable to viral, bacterial and/or fungal infections. This condition is normally divided into two categories called primary/congenital or acquired and any condition that causes immunodeficiency can function in different ways such that different aspects of immunity are deficient. Some diseases or acquired states that result in a compromised system are extremely serious and others cause only minor damage, so that with a small amount of intervention, life remains relatively normal.
There are many different parts of the immune system, and depending on the disease or congenital condition, some or most of them can be affected by immunodeficiency. The parts of the body that help produce antigens, which fight off foreign cells (germs of various kinds), include the lymph nodes, spleen, thymus, bone marrow cells, and tonsils. If any of these parts are damaged or lost, such as removal of tonsils or spleen, the body may acquire some amount of immunodeficiency. In many cases, other parts of the lymphatic system take over, such as with a tonsillectomy, still providing plenty of protection from disease. Sometimes, an immune system impairment is too great and a person becomes more vulnerable to infections.
Some types of immunodeficiency are hereditary or congenital and begin to function soon after a child is born. These forms of primary immunodeficiency can be extremely serious because newborns are already medically vulnerable. A condition like agammaglobulinemia can start causing serious respiratory infections soon after birth because the body is unable to produce antigens called B lymphocytes. The disease can respond to treatment with repeated injections of immunoglobulin, but can also be fatal. Other examples of primary immunodeficiency can be found in conditions such as Di George syndrome, ataxia-telangiectasia, and Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome. In total, there are about 200 congenital forms of immunodeficiency.
The conditions of acquired immunodeficiency are even more diverse and numerous and manifest themselves in many ways. They come from viruses such as HIV, signal the development of certain diseases such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis or are induced by therapies such as drug treatment. Some are temporary, such as chemotherapy, where the immune system can recover after treatment is finished. Other conditions are permanent and may be progressive.
Immunodeficiency symptoms vary with each condition. The best known are severe and repeated infections and complications from simple viral infections. The types of infections can depend on the type of disease causing the disease.
The treatment for these conditions also varies widely. It might include strict avoidance of others with active illnesses, early treatment of any infections, vaccinations with only dead viruses (shots of live viruses can cause illness), immunoglobulin infusions, and medications to boost immunity or fight viruses, bacteria, and mushrooms. Sometimes other treatments such as stem cell transplantation are considered if the degree of damage is high.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
