Microbiology and Immunology

WORLD OF MICROBIOLOGY AND IMMUNOLOGY Immunodeficiency disease syndromes

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In general, people with immunodeficiency disorders

should maintain a healthy diet. This is because malnutrition

can aggravate immunodeficiencies. They should also avoid

being near people who have colds or are sick because they can

easily acquire new infections. For the same reason, they

should practice good personal hygiene, especially dental care.

People with immunodeficiency disorders should also avoid

eating undercooked food because it might contain bacteria that

could cause infection. This food would not cause infection in

normal persons, but in someone with an immunodeficiency,

food is a potential source of infectious organisms. People with

immunodeficiency should be given antibioticsat the first indi-

cation of an infection.

There is no way to prevent a congenital immunodefi-

ciency disorder. However, someone with a congenital immun-

odeficiency disorder might want to consider getting genetic

counseling before having children to find out if there is a

chance they will pass the defect on to their children.

Some of the infections associated with acquired immun-

odeficiency can be prevented or treated before they cause

problems. For example, there are effective treatments for

tuberculosis and most bacterial and fungal infections. HIV

infection can be prevented by practicing “safe sex” and not

using illegal intravenous drugs. These are the primary routes

of transmitting the virus. For people who don’t know the HIV

status of the person with whom they are having sex, safe sex

involves using a condom.

See alsoAIDS, recent advances in research and treatment;

Immunity, active, passive and delayed; Immunity, cell medi-

ated; Immunity, humoral regulation; Immunodeficiency dis-

ease syndromes; Immunodeficiency diseases; Infection and

resistance

IMMUNODEFICIENCY DISEASE

SYNDROMESImmunodeficiency disease syndromes

An effective immune systemrequires that any antigens that are

not native to the body be quickly recognized and destroyed,

and that none of the antigens native to the body be identified as

Scanning electron microscope image of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) on a hemocyte.

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