300905 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Rheumatoid Arthritis, Common Variable Immunodeficiency, Immunodeficiency
18 Apr 2019
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Document Summary
The immune system is a highly regulated and balanced system and when the balance is disturbed, disease can result. Research in this area involves studying disease that is caused by immune system dysfunction. Immunodeficiency disorders involve problems with the immune system that impair its ability to mount an appropriate defence. As a result, these are almost always associated with severe infections that persist, recur and/or lead to complications, making these disorders severely debilitating and even fatal. There are two types of immunodeficiency disorders: primary immunodeficiencies are typically present from birth, are generally hereditary and are relatively rare. Such an example is common variable immunodeficiency (cvid). Secondary immunodeficiencies generally develop later in life and may result following an infection, as is the case with aids following. Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system attacks the body it is meant to protect. People suffering from autoimmune diseases have a defect that makes them unable to distinguish "self" from non-self" or "foreign" molecules.
