18 Immunodeficiency Diseases Flashcards
What is immunodeficiency?
Any deficiency in the immune response. It may
result from a defect in phagocytosis, the humoral response, or the cellmediated response. Combined immunodeficiencies affect both the
humoral and cell-mediated immune response
What is Primary immunodeficiency?
A condition resulting from a genetic or
developmental defect in the immune system
What is secondary immunodeficiency?
This is acquired immunodeficiency, or the loss of immune function and immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). results from exposure to various agents
What are opportunistic agents?
microorganism that healthy individuals can harbor with no ill consequences but that cause disease in
those with impaired immune function
What is an example of combined immunodeficiencies? What happens?
Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) ; they disrupt adaptive immunity and stem from genetic defects leading to a lack of T cells in the periphery as well as developmental defects of the thymus and MHC defects
What are the most common ways that HIV is transmitted?
- sexual contact
- sharing HIV- contaminated needles
- blood transfusions with infected blood/blood-clotting factors
- accidental needlestick injuries
- congenital AIDS (before/during birth/breastfeeding
What is the causative agent of AIDS?
retrovirus HIV-1
There are four specific criteria for AIDS:
- evidence of infection with HIV-1
- <200 CD4+T cells/microliter of blood
- impaired/absent DTH reactions
- occurrence of opportunistic infections
Is there a treatment for AIDS?
Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is NOT a cure, but it reduces chances of mutations to drugs and reduces viral loads below limits of detection
Is there a vaccine for AIDS?
Currently, no. The virus mutats too rapidly for production of Abs with animal models being limited/expensive and trials up to this point being largely ineffective
