What is Immunodeficiency?
Immunodeficiency is defined as a disorder affecting the immune system, weakening the body's ability to fight infections.
Immunodeficiency occurs due to the inability to produce a sufficient immune response to defend the body against diseases and pathogens, such as bacteria and viruses, because of a lack of antibodies or immune cells.
A person may be born with immunodeficiency, or the cause may be genetic. There are several types of immunodeficiency diseases, including severe immunodeficiency, combined immunodeficiency, and agammaglobulinemia.
Causes of Immunodeficiency
In fact, the causes of immunodeficiency diseases are related to their type; whether they are primary or secondary. Below is an explanation of the most prominent causes associated with each type.
Causes of Primary Immunodeficiency
Humoral Immunity
Cellular Immunity
Causes of Secondary Immunodeficiency Disorders
Causes of Primary Immunodeficiency
Primary immunodeficiency disorders may result from mutations in a specific gene. In cases where the gene mutation is located on the X chromosome, the resulting disorder is called an X-linked disorder.
These disorders occur more frequently in males.
Statistically, approximately 60% of individuals with primary immunodeficiency disorders are male.
Primary immunodeficiency disorders can be classified based on the part of the immune system affected, as follows:
Humoral Immunity
This involves B cells, a type of lymphocyte. These cells are a type of white blood cell that produces antibodies (immunoglobulins).
It can be said that disorders of this type represent the most common type of primary immunodeficiency disorder.
Cellular immunity involves T cells, a type of lymphocyte. These cells are a type of white blood cell that helps identify and destroy foreign or abnormal cells.
Humoral and cellular immunity also includes both B cells and T cells.
Phagocytic cells are cells that digest and kill microorganisms.
Complement proteins are proteins that help immune cells kill bacteria and recognize and destroy foreign cells.
Causes of secondary immunodeficiency disorders: These disorders may occur as a result of chronic or serious illnesses such as diabetes or cancer, or as a result of using certain types of medications, or due to radiation or chemotherapy.
The chances of developing secondary immunodeficiency disorders increase in the elderly and in people who are hospitalized.
Diabetes can lead to immunodeficiency disorders because this disease negatively affects the function of white blood cells, especially when blood sugar levels are high.
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is the most common acquired immunodeficiency disorder.
Many types of cancer can cause immunodeficiency disorders. For example,
Any cancer that affects the bone marrow (such as leukemia and lymphoma) can impair the bone marrow's ability to produce normal white blood cells, which are part of the immune system.
Malnutrition can weaken the immune system, whether it involves all nutrients or just one. Malnutrition can cause weight to drop below 80% of the recommended weight.
This leads to a weakened immune system, and weight loss below 70% can result in severe weakness.
As mentioned previously, some medications can cause secondary immunodeficiency disorders, such as immunosuppressants used to prevent organ or tissue transplant rejection.
These medications can be given to people with autoimmune disorders to combat the body's attack on its own tissues.
Corticosteroids are one such medication and are used to treat inflammation caused by various disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis.
However, immunosuppressants suppress the body's ability to fight infections and may also inhibit the destruction of cancer cells.
Symptoms of Immunodeficiency
Each disorder has unique signs and symptoms that may be recurring or chronic. These include:
Weight loss or difficulty gaining weight.
Recurrent abscesses on the skin and organs.
Lymph nodes under the neck or an enlarged spleen.
Autoimmune diseases.
Pink eye or conjunctivitis.
Sinusitis.
Frequent colds.
Diarrhea.
Recurrent infections such as pneumonia, ear infections, or sinusitis.
Yeast infections.
How is immunodeficiency diagnosed?
Immunodeficiency is diagnosed through a series of procedures, including:
The patient's medical history.
Physical examination.
White blood cell count.
T-cell count.
Immunoglobulin levels.
Vaccines can be used to test the immune system's response. This test is called an antibody test.
If there is no immune disorder, the body will produce antibodies to fight the pathogens in the vaccine. If no antibodies appear, the person is likely to have immunodeficiency.