15: Immunodeficiency

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Immunodeficiency results in an inability to combat certain diseases and may be of two types: primary or secondary. Primary immunodeficiency is usually an immunodeficiency that one is born with. In the case of secondary immunodeficiency, one is born with normal immune responses but some secondary factor or occurrence causes a decrease in immune responses.

15.1: Primary Immunodeficiency
Immunodeficiency results in an inability to combat certain diseases. A primary immunodeficiency is usually an immunodeficiency that one is born with. Conventional primary immunodeficiencies are rare recessive genetic defect in the immune responses that involved the development of B-lymphocytes, T-lymphocytes, or both and resulted in multiple, recurrent infections during infancy.
15.2: Secondary Immunodeficiency
A secondary immunodeficiency is one in which a person is born with normal immune responses but some secondary factor or occurrence causes a decrease in immune responses. Causes of secondary immunodeficiencies include malnutrition, some viruses such as HIV, irradiation, cytotoxic drugs used in cancer chemotherapy, anti-inflammatory steroids, leukemias, aging, and removal of the spleen.
15.E: Immunodeficiency (Exercises)
These are homework exercises to accompany Kaiser's "Microbiology" TextMap. Microbiology is the study of microorganisms, which are defined as any microscopic organism that comprises either a single cell (unicellular), cell clusters or no cell at all (acellular). This includes eukaryotes, such as fungi and protists, and prokaryotes. Viruses and prions, though not strictly classed as living organisms, are also studied.

Thumbnail: Scanning electron micrograph of HIV-1 budding (in green) from cultured lymphocyte. This image has been colored to highlight important features; see PHIL 1197 for original black and white view of this image. Multiple round bumps on cell surface represent sites of assembly and budding of virions. Images used with permission (Public Domain; This media comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Public Health Image Library (PHIL), with identification number #10000).