Immunodeficiency Flashcards
what are immunodeficiency disorders?
abnormality(es) of the immune system that predisposes to diseases normally eradicated by a functional system
examples of types of disease that immunodeficient patients are at higher risk for
infections
neoplasms
three causes of immunodeficiency disorders
hereditary
infectious
iatrogenic
systemic diseases that can also produce immunodeficiency
alcoholism/malnutrition diabetes renal failure cushing's syndrome cancer
iatrogenic causes of immunodeficiency disorders
steroid therapy
cancer therapy
immunosuppressive drugs for transplant
surgical or functional splenectomy
how many primary immunodeficiency disorders known?
over 100
common types of inheritance of primary immunodeficiency disorders
autosomal recessive inheritance
what other types of disorders have increased risk for autoimmune disease?
disorders that affect T cells
loss of tolerance
cell-mediated defects appear
soon after birth
examples of cell-mediated defects
T cell (intracellular pathogens)
oral candida
other fungal infections
intracellular parasites
examples of intracellular parasites
cytomegalovirus
herpesvirus
pneumocystis
mycobacteria
humoral defects appear
several months after birth, fetus is protected by maternal antibodies
examples of humoral defects
B cell (extracellular pathogens) bacterial infections-staph, strep, hemophilus, giardia lamblia
asplenic defects
encapsulated bacterial infections-pneumonia, meningitis, flu, salmonella
AIDS
full manifestation of infection by human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV)
what does AIDS infect?
Th cells and dendritic cells (APCs)
what does AIDS produce defect in?
cell-mediated immunity
defects in cell-mediated immunity lead to predisposition to
opportunistic infections-pathogen doesn’t normally cause a problem in people with competent immune system
cancers (normally lymphomas)
nervous system damage
what represents the final stage of HIV infection?
AIDS
how is AIDS transmitted?
sexual contact
bloodborne
perinatal
classic risk factors for HIV: 4 H’s
homosexual men
Haitians
heroin users
hemophiliacs
what poses the greatest risk for HIV?
receptive anal sex
does HIV cross placenta?
yes, is present in breast milk
how is HIV not spread?
casual contact
bites
mosquitoes
toilets
rare examples of HIV transmission
needlesticks
blood transfusions
transmission percentages of HIV
46%: homosexual contact
15%: IV drug abuse
4%: homosexual contact and IV drug abuse (both present)
33%: heterosexual contacts of the above
seven things that have been proven to reduce transmission of HIV
- HIV testing of blood products/coagulation factors
- anti-retroviral prophylaxis before and during childbirth by HIV-positive mothers
- condom distribution and use
- needle exchange programs
- male circumcision
- formula feeding instead of breast feeding by HIV positive mothers
- early anti-retroviral treatment for an HIV-positive member of a serodiscordant couple
HIV structure
encapsulated retrovirus
what does HIV core contain?
SS RNA (two copies) protease integrase reverse transcriptase p24 protein
what is p24 in humans?
antigenic, evokes immune response
what does HIV envelope contain?
gp120 and gp41 proteins
what is the basis for antibody detection of HIV?
p24
what does reverse transcriptase do?
converts RNA to DNA upon infection
what does HIV infection require?
binding of virus to CD4 receptor
gp120 co-binds another receptor
what is gp120 necessary for?
virus to bind to T helper cells
what happens once the HIV virus is internalized?
RNA is converted into DNA by reverse transcriptase
what is the problem with reverse transcriptase?
not accurate, inconsistent DNA production across viruses
results in genomic changes
what happens once DNA is produced by reverse transcriptase?
DNA is inserted into T cell genome using integrase enzyme