Immunodeficiency Flashcards
Example of a disease that causes T cell deficiency?
HIV
What viruses are people with T cell deficiencies susceptible to?
Herpes
What bacteria are people with T cell deficiencies susceptible to?
Intracellular bacteria - because T cells’ main role is fighting intracellular bacteria
Strep. pneumonia, Mycobacteria species, Salmonella and more
What fungi are people with T cell deficiencies susceptible to?
Yeasts: Candida, Cryptococcus
Pneumocystis jirovecii
What parasites are people with T cell deficiencies susceptible to?
Spore forming Cryptosporidia
Intracellular Leishmania
What malignancies are people with T cell deficiencies susceptible to?
EBV associated lymphoma: can’t fight off EBV
Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: can’t fight of HPV?
What autoimmune conditions are people with T cell deficiencies susceptible to?
Rheumatological & dermatological
They lose their Tregs function, nothing to stop immune responses getting out of hand
Why does immunodeficiency mean you’re more susceptible to cancers?
If your immune system is weakened, then it will not be performing cancer immunosurveillance as effectively.
This is when your lymphocytes recognise mutated DNA in cells and induce cell apoptosis before the cell can divide and become a cancer
What viruses & bacteria are people with B cell deficiencies susceptible to?
Encapsulated bacteria: Strep. pneumoniae, H. influenzae
Enteric pathogens
Chronic infections
What parasites are people with B cell deficiencies susceptible to?
Giardia lamblia
What malignancies are people with B cell deficiencies susceptible to?
Gastric
Lymphomas
What are T cells required for?
Cell mediated immunity
T helper
T cytotoxic
T memory
T regulatory (make sure immune system does not get out of hand)
What are B cells required for?
Antibody production
What are phagocytes required for?
To kill bacteria and fungi
Phagocytosis
What bacteria are people with phagocyte deficiencies susceptible to?
Generally gram negative
S. aureus, Klebsiella, E. coli
What fungi are people with phagocyte deficiencies susceptible to?
Filamentous: Aspergillus fumigatus
Yeasts: Candida
What is complement required for?
Opsonisation of encapsulated bacteria
Part of innate system
What is hyposplenism?
Spleen dysfunction
What is primary vs secondary immunodeficiency?
Primary: disorder of actual immune system
Secondary: disorder of supporting component of immune system or an external decreasing factor of it
What are some clues to primary immunodefiency?
4 or more new ear infections per year
2 or more serious sinus infections per year
2 or more bouts of pneumonia per year
At least 2 months on antimicrobials in a year
Growth retardation in children
Recurrent deep skin or organ abscesses
Persistent oral thrush (candida) or fungal infection of skin
Need for intravenous antimicrobials to clear infections
2 or more deep seated infections or septicaemia
Family history
What is SCID?
Severe combined immunodeficiency
Genetic condition caused by defects in a number of genes.
Dysfunction of T & B cells so no immune system at all
Usually die within 2 years unless they receive a haemopoetic stem cell transplant
