Immune Deficiency

CONGENITAL (OR PRIMARY) IMMUNE DEFICIENCY

A number of Rare Disease s feature a heightened susceptibility to Infection s from childhood onward. Many of these disorders are Hereditary and Autosomal Recessive . Examples include Myeloperoxidase Deficiency , Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome , Chronic Granulomatous Disease , and Severe Combined Immunodeficiency .

ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY

Although elderly people are generally more susceptible to infections, this can be increased in the presence of a number of blood disorders (see Hematology ); important examples are Multiple Myeloma and Chronic Lymphatic Leukemia (CLL).

Immune Suppression is a common side-effect of many Drugs , most importantly Chemotherapy . However, Disease-modifying Antirheumatic Drug s (DMARDs) are used to suppress immune activity in Autoimmune Disorder s to slow progression of this type of disease. Any drug that causes Neutropenia and/or Agranulocytosis can cause immune suppression and Sepsis . Organ Transplant recipients are given Immunosuppressive Drug s to avoid Transplant Rejection .

Immune deficiency is also the hallmark of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). HIV destroys CD4⁺- T-lymphocytes ( Helper T Cell s), leading to opportunistic infections.

BIOCHEMISTRY

In all higher mammals a complex set of biochemicals is present that regulates the immune system. Imbalances of these chemicals by nutritional deficit, disease or infection can compromise the immune system.

	CATEGORIES ABOUT IMMUNODEFICIENCY

	immune system disorders

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