Immune Deficency Flashcards
(22 cards)
What is an autoimmunodeficency disease?
Failure of the immune system to protect the body’s own adequately from infection, due to the system not working
What is primary immunodeficiency disease?
Caused by genetics
What is secondary immunodeficiency disease?
Caused by environmental factors
What causing SCID?
Severe combined immunodeficiency
What problems do people with SCID have?
T+B lymphocytes cannot be produced
Is SCID primary or secondary immunodeficiency disease?
Primary
What are clues that an infant might have SCID?
Recurrent cough, poor growth and thrush infections
How can people with SCID be protected?
Bubbles
Sterile environment
What are the treatments for SCID?
Stem cell transplants
Gene therapy
Bone marrow transplant
Enzyme replacement
What cells does HIV affect?
Helper T cells and killing them over time
If not B cells are activated, why won’t forgien antigens be targeted and destroyed?
They are unable to produce immune response and can’t destroy pathogens
Why are people with HIV likely to suffer with cancer?
They can’t launch immune repsonse and destroy helper T cells
What does AIDS stand for?
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome
Why is aids so dangerous?
Severely weakens the body’s immune system, loss of helper T cells
How can someone with HIV be treated?
Target enzymes
Antirevirals therapy, prevents development
How can the spread of HIV be reduced?
Condoms
HIV testing
Not sharing needles
What is chemotherapy?
It kills the growth of cells for cancer
What is neutropenia?
Abnormally low levels of neutrophils
How can we reduce the chance of chemotherapy patients getting infections?
Strict hygiene
Avoiding crowds
Prophylactic antibodies
Why are people who receive organ transplants immunodeficient?
Taking immunosuppressants to prevent rejection, results in pathogens not being identified and destroyed
Why do we give transplant patients immunosuppressant drugs?
Prevent the production of WBC, prevent immune system from attacking, destroying organs
What do immunosuppressants do, what problems can they cause?
Immune system is suppressed which decrease the pathogen reaction
