CP5-3 immunodeficiency Flashcards
What are the 4 main physiological functions of the immune system?
Recognise pathogens
Cell-cell communication to initiate an immune response
Clear pathogens
Self-regulation to minimise host damage
What is immunodeficiency?
Clinical situations where the immune system is not effective enough to protect the body against infection
What are the two types of immunodeficiency?
Primary
Secondary
What is primary immunodeficiency?
An inherent defect within the immune system - usually of a genetic cause
What is secondary immunodeficiency?
Acquired immunodeficiency where external causes affect the immune system
What are common causes of secondary immunodeficiency?
CF
protein loss e.g. due to burns, protein losing enteropathy or malnutrition
malignancy (especially lymphoproliferative (cancers of B cells) and myeloma
drugs - steroids, DMARDS, rituximab, anti-consulvutants and myelosuppresives
Infection - HIV and TB
What is the function of pathogen recognition receptors (PRRs)?
For phagocytes to recognise conserved pathogen associate molecular patterns (PAMPs) which are unique to each pathogen.
What is an example of a PAMP?
Lipopolysaccharide
What is a PAMP?
Pathogen associated molecular pattern
What is an example of a PRR?
Toll like receptors
What are the main two cells that undergo phagocytosis?
Neutrophils
Macrophages
What PAMP is recognised by TLR4?
Lipopolysaccharide
What PAMP is recognised by TLR5?
Flagellin
What PAMP is recognised by TLR3?
Viral RNA
What can defects in TLR3 lead to?
Recurrent HSV encephalitis
What happens when a TLR recognised a PAMP?
A cascade of events involving various molecules (including MyD88 and IRAK4) intracellularly leads to production of inflammatory cytokines
What test can be done when testing for immunodeficiency?
Immunoglobulin tests
WCC
CRP
How does a patient with an IRAK4 deficiency present? (A patient with a MyD88 deficiency will present similarly)
Recurrent bacterial infection - especially streptococcus and staphylococcus leading to pneumonia, meningitis and arthritis
Poor inflammatory response e.g. no fever
Decrease of susceptibility to infection with age
How can you treat IRAK4 deficiency?
Prophylactic antibiotics
(+ IV immunoglobulin if severe)