Allergy and Immunology Flashcards
What are clinical findings of acute GVHD?
Within 3 months of transplant
Skin (rash), GI (anorexia, D&V), liver (transaminitis, hyperbili)
Prevent with immunosuppression (cyclosporine, tacrolimus), treat with steroids
What are clinical findings of chronic GVHD?
Occurs more then 3 months post transplant
Skin (malar rash, sica syndrome), MSK (arthritis, joint contractures), lung (bronchiolitis obliterans), liver (cholestasis, bile duct degeneration), eyes (dry eyes, conjunctivitis)
- An 18 month old boy has had 3 pneumonias, 2 episodes of OM and now presents with purulent nasal
discharge. On examination he has a tender 1x1.5cm cervical node with overlying redness. His mother
states that he had an episode of varicella a month ago that was fairly typical in course. Which of the
following investigations will most likely lead to the diagnosis:
Concept: findings of primary immune deficiency
c. Immunoglobulins
PID: recurrent sinopulmonary infections suspicious for innate issues (complement defect), adaptive immunity (B cell defect).
Ix: B cells: look at immunoglobulins and antibody titres
- complement (C3, C4, CH50)
ALSO, CVID and ataxia-telangiectasia both present with recurrent sinopulmonary infections and low immunoglobulins
- Which allergy can be treated with immunotherapy:
b) bee sting allergy
Allergies that respond to immunotherapy:
- seasonal or perennial allergic rhinoconjunctivitis
- asthma triggered by allergen exposures
- insect venom sensitivity
- IVIG can be used in all of the following EXCEPT:
c) nephrotic syndrome
Can be used in: ITP, bone marrow transplant (patients exposed to measles), KD, Guillain-Barre
- A child has received IVIG in the course of their treatment. How long should you wait before giving
them vaccines to ensure adequate response:
d. 11 mo
Varies between 3-11 months depending on product and dose used
- Which is true regarding RAST:
Concept: comparison of RAST to skin testing
d. false positives in children with hyper-IgE states
RAST = testing for allergen specific IgE (now more commonly called allergy specific IgE or sIgE test)
some facts: less sensitive than skin testing, not preferred method for food allergies (skin testing is), BUT not affected by corticosteroids or antihistamines, while skin testing is (neither are affected by montelukast)
13mo child with diaper rash and diarrhea with the introduction of new foods over the
past couple months. Which of the following is most consistent with this presentation:
c. carbohydrate intolerance is a common cause
- Sucrase-Isomaltase Deficiency- high amongst Canadian natives- when feeding milk and lactose- no symptoms- once exposed to sucrose and starches (juice, fruits,
crackers, other starches) develop diarrhea, diaper rash, FTT, abdominal distensionavoid
sucrose and maltose- Rx sacrosidase (Sucraid) - no role for RAST in diagnosis because this is only good for suspected IgE mediated CMPI
- 5 year old had a severe reaction to peanut at 1 year of age. He also has asthma. Now, allergist has
ordered an IgE level for peanut. Mom is wondering why. What do you tell them?
d. it prevents systemic reactions that could result from the skin test
Kid to have RAST for possible peanut allergy: 2 advantages over skin test; 1 disadvantage compared to
skin test.
advantages: ● Better safety ● Results are not influenced by skin disease or medications disadvantages: ● less sensitive
- Recurrent meningococcal meningitis. Most common immunodeficiency is:
a. C5 deficiency
Consider complement deficiency if:
o Recurrent angioedema
o Autoimmune disease (SLE, nephritis, HUS, partial lipdystrophy) - C1, C3, C4
o Recurrent pyogenic infections
o Disseminated meningococcal or gonococcal infection - C5-9
o 2 episodes of bacteremia - C2
o Meningitis with uncommon serotype (other than A, B or C)
- You suspect a 6 year old of having a T-cell defect. The best screen is:
c. Candida skin test
Screening tests for T cell defect: lymphocyte count, CXR for thymus size, delayed skin tests (candida, tetanus toxoid)
- Deficiency of which of the following may lead to anaphylaxis in a patient given IVIG:
a. IgA
44% have antibodies to IgA (which if they are IgE mediated can cause anaphylaxis to blood products including IVIG)
- In which condition is the IgE level normal:
b) immune thrombocytopenic purpura
What is the expected IgE level in Wiskott-Aldrich?
high
What is the expected IgE level in selective IgA deficiency?
low
What is the expected IgE level in Kawasaki?
high
- A 6 year old presents with eczema, decreased platelets and recurrent OM and
pneumonias. Increased IgA and IgE. Decreased IgG. Your diagnosis is:
a. Wiskott-Aldrich
It’s a TIE! (TCP, immunodeficiency, eczema)
- Low T cell percentages
- treat with IVIG, killed vaccines, BMT curative
Mnemonic: IgG&M low, IgA&E high - it’s a tie
- 3 year old with a history of fevers. Occur every 4 to 12 weeks for 1-4 days. Growing well. Treated for
numerous otitis and pharyngitis.
A) multiple viral infections
- A 15-year-old boy has had 5 episodes of documented pneumonia, 3 RML, 1 RLL, and 1 LLL.
What investigation would be most helpful:
a) immunoglobulins with IgG subclasses
X-linked agammaglobulinemia versus CVID: first have small or no tonsils and lymph nodes, second have normal tonsils and nodes
- What is true about chronic granulomatous disease:
b) suppurative lymphadenopathy is a characteristic feature
Normal number of neutrophils but abnormal function (can eat catalase producing bugs but not kill them)
- features include pneumonia, lymphadenitis, abscesses, onset in infancy
- infections with staph, gram negative enterics, candida, aspergillus
Dx: flow cytometry and genetic testing (used to use nitroblue tetrazolium)
- In chronic granulomatous disease, all of the following features are present EXCEPT:
e) hypogammaglobulinemia - no, can have hypergammaglobulinemia
- A 6mos male has several abscesses (S. aureus) now and in the past. He has also had recurrent
respiratory infections and Serratia UTI. Now has butt abscess. Which diagnosis is most likely?
c. CGD
Common bugs of CGD:
- staph aureus most common
- serratia marcescens
- B cepacia
- aspergillus
- candida albicans
- nocardia
- salmonella
- mycobacterium
- Which of the following is true in Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome?
d) increased risk of malignancy