"Immunodeficiency, also known as immunocompromisation, is a state in which the immune system's ability to fight infectious diseases and cancer is compromised or entirely absent."
Genetic disorders that impair the function of the immune system, including primary immunodeficiencies and acquired immunodeficiencies.
Basic Immunology: Understanding the immune system and how it works is essential when learning about immunodeficiencies. Topics to cover include different types of immune cells, immune responses, inflammation, and immunological memory.
Immunogenetics: This refers to the study of the genetic basis of the immune system. Understanding how the genes associated with the immune system function can be helpful in diagnosing and treating immunodeficiencies.
Types of Immunodeficiencies: There are different types and classifications of immunodeficiencies, including primary and secondary immunodeficiencies. Primary immunodeficiencies are genetic and inherited, while secondary immunodeficiencies are acquired as a result of other conditions or factors.
Diagnosis of Immunodeficiencies: Knowing the different diagnostic methods used to diagnose immunodeficiencies, such as blood tests and genetic testing, is critical when studying immunodeficiencies.
Treatment of Immunodeficiencies: Understanding the different treatment options available, including medication, stem cell transplantation, and gene therapy, is essential when learning about immunodeficiencies.
Autoimmune Diseases: Although not an immunodeficiency, autoimmune diseases are often associated with immunodeficiencies as the immune system fails to recognize self-antigens leading to chronic inflammation and disease.
Allergies and Hypersensitivity Reactions: Understanding the different types of allergies and hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis, can help distinguish them from immunodeficiencies.
Vaccines: Understanding how vaccines work and how they can help prevent infectious diseases is essential when studying immunodeficiencies.
Infections: Understanding different types of infectious agents, such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi, and their impact on the immune system can be helpful in diagnosing and treating immunodeficiencies.
Epidemiology and Public Health: Knowing the prevalence and incidence of immunodeficiencies and the public health implications of immunodeficiencies is critical for public health planning and disease control.
Primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs): Caused by inherited genetic mutations, resulting in an impaired immune system. PIDs can affect different parts of the immune system, including T cells, B cells, and phagocytes.
Secondary immunodeficiencies: Caused by factors outside of genetic mutations, such as infections, medications, and certain medical conditions. In these cases, the immune system is still functioning, but not at optimal levels.
Combined immunodeficiencies: Affect both T cells and B cells, and include disorders such as severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID).
Humoral immunodeficiencies: Affect the production or function of B cells and antibodies, resulting in an increased susceptibility to infections.
Cellular immunodeficiencies: Affect the function of T cells, resulting in an increased susceptibility to certain viral infections, fungal infections, and some types of cancer.
Phagocytic immunodeficiencies: Affect the function of phagocytes, such as neutrophils and macrophages, which are responsible for destroying invading pathogens.
Complement deficiencies: Affect the function of proteins in the complement system, which helps to destroy pathogens in the body.
Autoimmune disorders: Affect the immune system's ability to distinguish between self and non-self, resulting in the immune system attacking the body's own tissues.
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS): Caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which attacks the immune system and weakens its ability to fight off infections.
"Examples of these extrinsic factors include HIV infection and environmental factors, such as nutrition."
"Immunocompromisation may also be due to genetic diseases/flaws such as SCID."
"In clinical settings, immunosuppression by some drugs, such as steroids, can either be an adverse effect or the intended purpose of the treatment."
"Examples of such use are in organ transplant surgery as an anti-rejection measure and in patients with an overactive immune system, as in autoimmune diseases."
"Some people are born with intrinsic defects in their immune system, or primary immunodeficiency."
"A person who has an immunodeficiency of any kind is said to be immunocompromised."
"An immunocompromised individual may particularly be vulnerable to opportunistic infections, in addition to normal infections that could affect anyone."
"It also decreases cancer immunosurveillance, in which the immune system scans the body's cells and kills neoplastic ones."
"They are also more susceptible to infectious diseases owing to the reduced protection afforded by vaccines."
"Most cases are acquired ('secondary') due to extrinsic factors that affect the patient's immune system."
"Examples of these extrinsic factors include HIV infection and environmental factors, such as nutrition."
"Examples of these extrinsic factors include HIV infection and environmental factors, such as nutrition."
"In clinical settings, immunosuppression by some drugs, such as steroids, can either be an adverse effect or the intended purpose of the treatment."
"Examples of such use are in organ transplant surgery as an anti-rejection measure..."
"...and in patients with an overactive immune system, as in autoimmune diseases."
"Immunodeficiency, also known as immunocompromisation, is a state in which the immune system's ability to fight infectious diseases and cancer is compromised or entirely absent."
"Some people are born with intrinsic defects in their immune system, or primary immunodeficiency."
"They are also more susceptible to infectious diseases owing to the reduced protection afforded by vaccines."
"A person who has an immunodeficiency of any kind is said to be immunocompromised."