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Immunodeficiency - what is it?

Doctors note that patients are increasingly being diagnosed with serious diseases that are difficult to treat. Immune deficiency, or scientifically known as immunodeficiency, is a pathological condition in which the immune system does not work properly. Both adults and children experience the described disorders. What is this condition? How dangerous is it?

Immunodeficiency is characterized by a decrease in activity or the inability of the body to create a protective response due to the loss of the cellular or humoral immune system.

This condition can be congenital or acquired. In many cases, IDS (especially if not treated) is irreversible, however, the disease can also have a transitive (temporary) form.

Causes of immunodeficiency in humans

The factors causing IDS have not yet been fully studied. However, scientists are constantly studying this issue to prevent the onset and progression of immunodeficiency.

Immunodeficiency, causes:

The cause can only be identified through a comprehensive hematological diagnosis. First of all, the patient is sent to donate blood to evaluate the indicators cellular immunity. During the analysis, the relative and absolute number of protective cells is calculated.

Immunodeficiency can be primary, secondary or combined. Each disease associated with IDS has a specific and individual severity.

Whenever pathological signs It is important to promptly consult your doctor to receive recommendations for further treatment.

Primary immunodeficiency (PID), features

Is the hardest genetic disease, manifesting itself in the first few months after birth (40% of cases), in early infancy (up to two years - 30%), in childhood and adolescence (20%), less often - after 20 years (10%).

It should be understood that patients do not suffer from IDS, but from those infectious and accompanying pathologies that the immune system is unable to suppress. In this regard, patients may experience the following:

• Polytopic process. This is multiple damage to tissues and organs. Thus, the patient may simultaneously experience pathological changes, for example, in the skin and urinary system.
• Difficulty in treating a particular disease. The pathology often becomes chronic with frequent relapses(repetitions). Diseases are rapid and progressive.
• High susceptibility to all infections, leading to polyetiology. In other words, one disease can be caused by several pathogens at once.
• The usual therapeutic course does not give full effect, therefore, the dosage of the drug is selected individually, often in loading doses. However, it is very difficult to cleanse the body of the pathogen, so carriage and latent course of the disease are often observed.

Primary immunodeficiency is a congenital condition, the rudiments of which were formed in utero. Unfortunately, screening during pregnancy does not detect severe anomalies at the initial stage.

This condition develops under the influence external factor. Secondary immunodeficiency is not a genetic disorder; it is first diagnosed with equal frequency in both childhood and adulthood.

Factors causing acquired immunodeficiency:

• deterioration of the ecological environment;
• microwave and ionizing radiation;
• acute or chronic poisoning chemicals, heavy metals, toxic chemicals, low-quality or expired food;
• long-term treatment medicines affecting the functioning of the immune system;
• frequent and excessive mental stress, psycho-emotional stress, anxiety.

The above factors negatively affect immune resistance, therefore, such patients, in comparison with healthy ones, will more often suffer from infectious and oncological pathologies.

Main reasons, which may cause secondary immunodeficiency are listed below.

Errors in nutrition - The human body is very sensitive to a lack of vitamins, minerals, proteins, amino acids, fats, and carbohydrates. These elements are necessary to create a blood cell and maintain its function. In addition, for normal operation immune system it requires a lot of energy, which comes with food.

All chronic diseases negatively affect the immune defense, worsening resistance to foreign agents penetrating from external environment into the body. At chronic course Infectious pathology inhibits the function of hematopoiesis, so the production of young protective cells is significantly reduced.

Adrenal hormones. An excessive increase in hormones inhibits the function of immune resistance. A malfunction occurs when material metabolism is disrupted.

A short-term state, as a protective reaction, is observed due to severe surgical procedures or severe injury. For this reason, patients who have undergone surgical intervention, are susceptible to infectious diseases for several months.

Physiological characteristics of the body:

• prematurity;
• children from 1 year to 5 years;
• pregnancy and lactation period;
• old age

Features in people of these categories are characterized by suppression of immune function. The fact is that the body begins to work intensively in order to bear additional load to perform its function or survive.

Malignant neoplasms. First of all, we are talking about blood cancer - leukemia. With this disease, there is an active production of protective non-functional cells that cannot provide full immunity.

Also dangerous pathology is the defeat of the red bone marrow, responsible for hematopoiesis and replacement of its structure malignant focus or metastases.

Along with this, everyone else oncological diseases deal a significant blow to protective function, but disorders appear much later and have less pronounced symptoms.

HIV – human immunodeficiency virus. By suppressing the immune system, it leads to dangerous disease- AIDS. All the patient's lymph nodes are enlarged, oral ulcers often recur, candidiasis, diarrhea, bronchitis, pneumonia, sinusitis, purulent myositis, and meningitis are diagnosed.

The immunodeficiency virus affects the defense response, so patients die from diseases that a healthy body can hardly resist, and even more so when weakened by HIV infection (tuberculosis, oncology, sepsis, etc.).

Combined immunodeficiency (CID)

Is the heaviest and rare disease which is very difficult to cure. CID is a group of hereditary pathologies that lead to complex disorders of immune resistance.

As a rule, changes occur in several types of lymphocytes (for example, T and B), whereas with PID only one type of lymphocyte is affected.

CID manifests itself in early childhood. The child does not gain weight well and is delayed in growth and development. These children are highly susceptible to infections: the first attacks may begin immediately after birth (for example, pneumonia, diarrhea, candidiasis, omphalitis).

As a rule, after recovery, a relapse occurs after a few days or the body is affected by another pathology of a viral, bacterial or fungal nature.

Treatment of primary immunodeficiency

Today medicine has not yet invented universal medicine, helping to completely overcome all types of immunodeficiency conditions. However, therapy is offered to relieve and eliminate negative symptoms, increased lymphocyte protection and improved quality of life.

This the most complex therapy, selected on an individual basis. The patient's life expectancy, as a rule, depends entirely on the timely and regular use of medications.

Treatment of primary immunodeficiency is achieved by:

• prevention and concomitant therapy of infectious diseases in the early stages;
• improving protection by bone marrow transplantation, immunoglobulin replacement, neutrophil mass transfusion;
• increasing lymphocyte function in the form of cytokine treatment;
  introduction of nucleic acids ( gene therapy) for the purpose of preventing or stopping the development pathological process at the chromosomal level;
• vitamin therapy to support immunity.

If the course of the disease worsens, you should inform your doctor about this.

Treatment of secondary immunodeficiency

As a rule, the aggressiveness of secondary immunodeficiency states is not severe. Treatment is aimed at eliminating the cause of IDS.

Therapeutic focus:

• for infections - elimination of the source of inflammation (with the help of antibacterial and antiviral drugs);
• for increase immune defense– immunostimulants;
• if IDS was caused by a lack of vitamins, then a long course of treatment with vitamins and minerals is prescribed;
• human immunodeficiency virus - treatment consists of highly active antiretroviral therapy;
• at malignant formations – surgical removal focus of atypical structure (if possible), chemotherapy, radio,
• tomotherapy and others modern methods treatment.

In addition, if you have diabetes, you should carefully monitor your health: adhere to a low-carbohydrate diet, regularly test your sugar levels at home, take insulin tablets or administer subcutaneous injections in a timely manner.

Treatment of CID

Treatment for primary and combined forms of immunodeficiency is very similar. Most effective method The treatment is considered to be a bone marrow transplant (if T-lymphocytes are damaged).

• Today, transplantation is successfully carried out in many countries to help overcome the aggressive genetic disease.

Prognosis: what awaits the patient

The patient must be provided with quality medical care even in the early stages of disease development. If we are talking about genetic pathology, then it should be identified as early as possible by taking many tests and undergoing a comprehensive examination.

Children who suffer from PID or CID from birth and do not receive appropriate treatment have a low survival rate to two years.

At HIV infection It is important to regularly test for antibodies to the human immunodeficiency virus in order to monitor the course of the disease and prevent sudden progression.

According to the World Health Organization, 70% of Russians have reduced immunity. And, as you know, a person with a weakened immune system is extremely sensitive to various infections and suffers more severely. various diseases. However, in most cases, it is impossible to figure out what the causes are and to cure immunodeficiency without the help of a specialist.

Great health!

Immunodeficiency is a persistent decrease in the function of the immune system and resistance to bacteria and viruses. There are primary immunodeficiencies (congenital) that develop in infancy. Such pathological conditions are extremely rare. It occurs much more often secondary immunodeficiency, which develops against the background bad ecology, improper, malnutrition, long-term use medicines, chronic diseases, abuse of alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, constant lack of sleep, severe stress, also affects the development of secondary immunodeficiency, etc.

The immune system is subject to serious stress in the event of serious illnesses(for example, staphylococcus, pneumococcus, herpes, chronic viral hepatitis, rubella, toxoplasmosis). Immunoreactivity is impaired and develops increased sensitivity to microbial antigens, intoxication of the body appears. And with a disease such as diabetes, the processes of cell division and differentiation, including cells of the immune system, are disrupted, and due to increased glucose in the blood, harmful bacteria multiply. As a result, susceptibility to harmful pathogens increases significantly, and the patient suffers from constant recurrent infections. Therefore, when serious diseases occur, it is necessary not only to treat the main problem, but also to strengthen the body, otherwise the immune system may develop a “crack,” which subsequently threatens complications.

However, there are diseases ( rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic scleroderma), leading to persistent immunodeficiency, which is very difficult to combat, and treatment sometimes lasts for years.

Diagnosis of immunodeficiencies

In the presence of chronic foci of infection, recurrent diseases and ineffectiveness standard methods therapy, secondary immunodeficiency can be assumed. In such a situation it is necessary diagnosis of immunodeficiencies: You should consult an immunologist who will prescribe two levels of tests. Level 1 tests are approximate and help identify gross defects in the immune system. Level 2 tests are functional and are aimed at identifying a specific “breakdown” in the immune system.

Treatment of immunodeficiency

After diagnosing immunodeficiencies and receiving the results, the doctor will develop tactics treatment of secondary immunodeficiency. If the problem occurs due to unbalanced diet, will prescribe a specific diet in combination with a complex of vitamins, minerals and dietary supplements containing the necessary components. And if immunodeficiency is a consequence of a chronic disease, then therapy will most likely begin with the treatment of a chronic source of infection.

Immune system diseases are among the most common forms of pathology in modern man. Of the large list of state and commercial medical institutions in St. Petersburg, only a very small part has all the necessary capabilities and highly qualified doctors for the most accurate diagnosis and effective treatment diseases of the immune system. "Union Clinic" is one of these medical institutions, has extensive experience in the field of clinical immunology, well-deserved authority among professionals and patients.

The immune system Among all life support systems of the body, it is one of the most significant, performing exclusively important functions to protect the body from various foreign substances.

Such substances include:

• infectious factors dangerous to the body (bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa);
• modified cells that have arisen in the body (for example, tumor cells),
• components of transplanted organs and tissues,
• allergens.

All of the listed substances contain agents foreign to the body (antigens). It is antigens that, when they enter the body, cause activation of various parts of the immune system. The work of the immune system is carried out by special cells (granulocytes, macrophages, T- and B-lymphocytes) and organs of the immune system (bone marrow, thymus, spleen, The lymph nodes, lymphoid tissue of mucous membranes). As a result of the coordinated work of various components of the immune system, antigens are neutralized and safely eliminated from the body.

The most common type of immune system disorder is immunodeficiency.

Immunodeficiency - is a quantitative or functional deficiency of the main components of the immune system.

As a result decreased immune system activity In people with immunodeficiency, as a rule, at the very early stages of the development of this pathological process, symptoms arise that are difficult to explain for the patient and for an inexperienced doctor, the so-called preclinical stage of the disease. At the same time, against the background of apparent general well-being in health, phenomena may arise fatigue, poor mental tolerance or physical activity, the so-called “syndrome” may develop chronic fatigue" Among the young and seemingly good health people's libido often decreases, and men's potency sometimes decreases. At the very early stages of immunodeficiency, in a number of patients, doctors note an unexplained increase in body weight, and in some cases, weight loss, and disorders of various types of metabolism.

In later periods of the progressive development of the immunodeficiency state, chronic, often recurrent, sluggish viral, bacterial, fungal infections, not amenable to conventional therapy. Frequency of occurrence, e.g. colds in adults suffering from immunodeficiency, may exceed 4 times a year. These same individuals, more often than people with a normally functioning immune system, develop cancer and develop allergic and autoimmune (i.e., immunoaggressive) diseases. It should be noted that clinical manifestations There are an extremely large number of immunodeficiency states; the pathology can affect any organs and physiological systems person, therefore, each patient, as a rule, develops his own, unique symptom complex of the disease, the essence of which takes a long time to unravel an experienced doctor.

Immunodeficiencies are divided into primary (hereditary) and secondary (acquired).

Primary immunodeficiencies arise long before the birth of a child and are associated with genetic defects in the development and maturation of one or more components of the immune system. They are congenital disorders of the immune system, often accompanied by birth defects development of other body systems.

Secondary (acquired) immunodeficiencies develop into more late period childhood or adulthood and are not the result of genetic disorders. In quantitative terms, they occupy a dominant position among immunodeficiencies. Secondary immunodeficiencies can be caused by the failure of various components of immunity: humoral and cellular immunity, synthesis of complement components, insufficient activity phagocytic cells etc. Often the occurrence of secondary immunodeficiencies is associated with specific reason: X-ray exposure, taking certain medications. Sometimes immunity disorders develop secondary to the underlying disease; subsequently, they aggravate its course and contribute to the formation severe complications and adverse outcomes.

Diagnosis of immunodeficiency conditions must be comprehensive. It includes both clinical and laboratory methods (clinical blood test, assessment immune status, cytokine profile, etc.), which can be performed at Union Clinic.

Clinical evidence of immunodeficiency may include:

• frequent bacterial, viral, mycotic infections;
• various lesions of the skin and visible mucous membranes (rashes, warts, genital warts, acne, etc.);
• weight loss;
• intestinal dysfunction (diarrhea, rumbling, bloating, intestinal dysbiosis, etc.);
• presence of chronic inflammatory diseases (chronic bronchitis, tonsillitis, cholecystitis, prostatitis, cystitis, urethritis, nephritis, sinusitis)

One of most important tasks doctor examining patients with immunodeficiency - identifying possible reasons who contributed to the development of this pathological condition.

The most common causes of immunodeficiency conditions are:

• chronic recurrent infectious diseases;
• anthropogenic factors (ecological deterioration, changes in soil composition, working with organic dyes and lead salts, electromagnetic radiation);
• poor nutrition (for example, deficiency of proteins, vegetables and fruits containing antioxidants, vitamins, microelements);
• chronic stress(physical or emotional);
• unreasonably long-term use of drugs that affect the immune system ( hormonal drugs, immunomodulators, cytostatics). Self-medication;
• operations performed on the organs of the immune system: removal of the palatine tonsils, thymus gland- thymus, spleen, vermiform appendix(appendix), etc.;
• occupational hazards (contact with salts heavy metals, electromagnetic radiation, radionuclides);
• long-term and severe intestinal dysbiosis;
• chronic intoxication (alcoholism, smoking, drug addiction);
• illnesses in close relatives (allergic and autoimmune diseases, oncological pathology, congenital immunodeficiencies, short life expectancy, etc.).

The more of these factors are present, the greater the chance that the patient has an immunodeficiency condition that requires careful examination and correction.

Help in establishing the presence and clarifying the type of immunodeficiency is provided by special laboratory research methods that can be carried out at the Union Clinic.

The first idea about the state of the immune system can be obtained by assessing the results of a clinical blood test. A sign of immunodeficiency may be a decrease in the level of white blood cells - leukocytes, especially if it is caused by a decrease in the level of lymphocytes, which are active participants in immune reactions.

However clinical analysis blood provides only indirect information. If a pathology of the immune system is suspected, a more in-depth laboratory study is required - an immunogram. This study, which allows us to more accurately specify and assess the state of immunity, is being successfully carried out at the Union Clinic.

Immune status (immunogram) is a blood test that examines components of the immune system. It takes into account the number of cells (T and B lymphocytes, macrophages, neutrophils), their percentage and functional activity, as well as the “substances” that these cells produce - immunoglobulins (Ig) classes A, M, G, E, components of the system complement. Sometimes “pathological antibodies” are determined in the immunogram - antinuclear factor, rheumatoid factor, antibodies to phospholipids and others.

A special immunological study - cytokine status allows for clinical and laboratory analysis of those regulatory systems that provide management and control over all aspects of the functioning of the immune system. Without performing this section of immunological diagnostics, examination of a patient with suspected and, especially, identified immunodeficiency cannot be considered complete and modern.

Interpretation of immunogram results, including cytokine status, is quite complex and should be carried out exclusively by a medical specialist. Assessment of immunological indicators allows the doctor to clarify in which part of the immune system the breakdown occurred, ensures the accuracy of laboratory and clinical characteristics immunodeficiency - the type and severity of the process and, of course, is the rationale for choosing a particular drug that affects the immune system. The type and severity of immunodeficiency determines the type of therapy.

A unique test for the presence of an immune-dependent form food intolerance, as one of the common variants of immune disorders, is a blood test for the presence of antibodies to food allergens. It is at the Union Clinic that the above-mentioned diagnostic test has been held since 2002.

Immunomodulators are drugs that, in therapeutic doses, restore the functions of the immune system (effective immune defense).

Once again, it must be emphasized that before starting immunomodulatory therapy, an assessment of the patient’s immune status is necessary. Same clinical picture in different patients it may be due to defects in various parts of the immune system. The immunogram serves as the basis for starting immunocorrection and is used to assess its effectiveness.

The prescription of a particular drug that affects the immune system should only be carried out by a medical specialist. Unreasonable and uncontrolled prescription of a number of immunomodulators to frequently and long-term ill patients can provoke the development of a severe autoimmune process or “paralyze” the immune system for a long time.

The main points of application for immunomodulatory drugs are immunocompetent cells (macrophages, natural killer cells (NK), neutrophils, T and B lymphocytes), the processes of interaction of such cells or their products (antibodies, cytokines) with the corresponding targets.

General principles applications immunomodulators

1. Immunomodulators are used in combination with antibiotics, antifungals, antiprotozoals or antiviral agents, thereby causing " Double punch» for an infectious agent, and as monotherapy during immunorehabilitation measures.

• It is advisable to prescribe immunomodulators early (from the first day of using a chemotherapeutic etiotropic agent).
• The severity of the effect of immunomodulatory therapy during treatment in acute period disease more than in the remission stage.
• The effect of any immunomodulator is multifaceted: it is enough, for example, to activate macrophages, and their release of cytokines will set the entire immune system in motion.

2. A decrease in any one parameter of immunity identified when assessing the immune status of practically healthy person, is not necessarily a basis for prescribing immunomodulatory therapy. Dynamic monitoring of such a patient is indicated.

• Immunomodulators do not affect unchanged parameters of the immune system.
• It is advisable to use immunomodulators against the background of immunological monitoring.

It is important to note again that self-medication of immunodeficiency conditions is very dangerous. This can lead to irreversible health consequences severe consequences. We invite everyone in need of highly qualified diagnostic and treatment assistance in the field of clinical immunology to the Union Clinic.

UNION CLINIC guarantees complete confidentiality of your request.

Immunodeficiencies are understood as conditions of a weakened immune system, and therefore people suffering from immunodeficiencies are much more likely to go hungry infectious diseases, while the course of the infection is usually more serious and less treatable compared to healthy people.

Depending on the origin, all immunodeficiencies are usually divided into primary (hereditary) and secondary (acquired).Primary immunodeficiencies

Primary immunodeficiencies are inherited diseases of the immune system. Such genetic defects occur in one child out of 10,000. To date, about 150 such genetic defects have been deciphered, leading to serious disturbances in the functioning of the immune system.

Symptoms of immunodeficiency

The leading manifestation of both primary and secondary immunodeficiencies are chronic infectious diseases. Infections can affect the ENT organs, upper and lower Airways, skin etc.

Infectious diseases, their manifestations and severity depend on the type of immunodeficiency. As mentioned above, there are about 150 types of primary immunodeficiency and several dozen secondary immunodeficiencies, while some forms have features of the course of the disease; the prognosis of the disease may differ significantly.

Sometimes immunodeficiencies can also contribute to the development of allergic and autoimmune diseases.

Primary immunodeficiencies

Primary immunodeficiencies are hereditary diseases, which are respectively transmitted from parents to children. Some forms may manifest themselves already in the very early age, others may remain hidden for many years.

Genetic defects that cause primary immunodeficiency conditions can be divided into the following groups:

• humoral immunodeficiencies (lack of production of antibodies or immunoglobulins);
• cellular (usually lymphocytic) immunodeficiencies;
• defects in phagocytosis (capture of bacteria by leukocytes);
• defects in the complement system (proteins that promote the destruction of foreign cells);
• combined immunodeficiencies;
• other immunodeficiencies associated with breakdowns of the main components of the immune system.

Secondary immunodeficiencies

Secondary immunodeficiencies are acquired diseases of the immune system, as well as primary immunodeficiencies associated with weakened immunity and an increased incidence of infectious diseases. Perhaps the best known secondary immunodeficiency is AIDS resulting from HIV infection.

Secondary immunodeficiencies can be associated with infections (HIV, severe purulent infections...), drugs (prednisolone, cytostatics), radiation, some chronic diseases(diabetes).

That is, any action aimed at weakening our immune system can lead to secondary immunodeficiency. However, the rate of development of immunodeficiency and its inevitability can vary greatly, for example, with HIV infection, the development of immunodeficiency is inevitable, while not all people suffering from diabetes mellitus, may have an immunodeficiency state even years after the onset of the disease.

Prevention of immunodeficiencies

Due to the hereditary nature of primary immunodeficiencies, there is no prevention for this group of diseases.

Prevention of secondary immunodeficiencies mainly comes down to avoiding HIV infection (protected sex, use of sterile medical instruments, etc.).

Complications of immunodeficiencies

The main complications of both primary and secondary immunodeficiencies are severe infectious diseases: pneumonia, sepsis, abscesses... Taking into account the very large heterogeneity of these diseases, the prognosis and possible complications should be determined individually.

Diagnosis of immunodeficiencies

A prerequisite for identifying immunodeficiency is a chronic (often recurrent) infection. In most cases, the simplest tests can reveal serious damage in the immune system: the total (absolute) number of leukocytes, as well as their subtypes of neutrophils, lymphocytes and monocytes, the level of serum immunoglobulins IgG, IgA , IgM, test for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Much less frequently, there is a need to diagnose more subtle elements of the immune system: phagocytic activity of macrophages, subtypes of B and T lymphocytes (determination of so-called CD markers) and their ability to divide, production of inflammatory factors (cytokines), determination of elements of the complement system, etc. .

Treatment of primary immunodeficiency

Depending on the severity of immunodeficiency and its type, treatment may have its own characteristics.

Important points are assessing the feasibility of using live vaccines, quitting smoking and drinking alcohol, and prescribing antibiotics wide range at bacterial infection or modern antiviral drugs for diseases caused by viruses.

Immunocorrection is possible:

• using bone marrow transplantation (an important organ of the immune system);
• replenishment of individual elements of the immune system, for example, immunoglobulins;

Treatment of secondary immunodeficiency

The treatment of secondary immunodeficiency is based on the following general principles:

• infection control;
• vaccination (if indicated);
• replacement therapy, for example, immunoglobulins;
• use of immunomodulators.

Immunodeficiency is a condition characterized by a decrease in the function of the immune system and the body's resistance to various infections.

From the point of view of etiology (the reasons for the development of the disease), we distinguish between primary and secondary immunodeficiencies.

1. Primary immunodeficiencies is a group of diseases that is characterized by a decrease in the function of the immune system, occurring against the background of various genetic disorders. Primary immunodeficiencies are quite rare, about 1-2 cases per 500,000 people. With primary immunodeficiencies, individual components of immunity may be disrupted: the cellular component, the humoral response, the phagocyte and compliment system. For example, immunodeficiencies with impaired cellular immunity include diseases such as agamaglobulinemia, DiGiorgio syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome, Bruton's disease. Impaired function of micro and macrophages are observed during chronic granulomatosis, Chediak-Higashi syndrome. Immunodeficiencies associated with a violation of the compliment system are based on a deficiency in the synthesis of one of the factors of this system. Primary immunodeficiencies are present throughout life. Patients with primary immunodeficiency usually die from various infectious complications.
2. Secondary immunodeficiencies are much more common than primary ones. Typically, secondary immunodeficiencies develop against the background of exposure to unfavorable factors on the body. environment or various infections. As in the case of primary immunodeficiencies, in secondary immunodeficiencies either individual components of the immune system or the entire system as a whole can be disrupted. Most secondary immunodeficiencies (except those caused by infection with the HIV virus) are reversible and respond well to treatment. Below we will consider in more detail the importance of various unfavorable factors in the development of secondary immunodeficiencies, as well as the principles of their diagnosis and treatment.

Causes of development of secondary immunodeficiency
Factors that can cause secondary immunodeficiency are very diverse. Secondary immunodeficiency can be caused by both environmental factors and internal factors of the body.

In general, all unfavorable environmental factors that can disrupt the body's metabolism can cause the development of secondary immunodeficiency. The most common environmental factors that cause immunodeficiency include environmental pollution, ionizing and microwave radiation, poisoning, long-term use of certain medications, chronic stress and fatigue. Common feature The factors described above have a complex negative impact on all body systems, including the immune system. In addition, factors such as ionizing radiation have a selective inhibitory effect on the immune system associated with inhibition of the hematopoietic system. People living or working in a polluted environment are more likely to get various infectious diseases and suffer more often oncological diseases. It is obvious that such an increase in morbidity in this category of people is associated with a decrease in the activity of the immune system.

TO internal factors, which can provoke secondary immunodeficiency include:

Diagnosis of immunodeficiency
Primary immunodeficiency usually appears immediately after the birth of a child or some time after it. To accurately determine the type of pathology, a series of complex immunological and genetic analyzes are carried out - this helps to determine the location of the violation of the immune defense (cellular or humoral link), as well as determine the type of mutation that caused the disease.

Secondary immunodeficiencies can develop at any period of life. Immunodeficiency can be suspected in the case of frequently recurrent infections, transition infectious disease V chronic form, ineffectiveness of conventional treatment, a slight but prolonged increase in body temperature. Helps establish an accurate diagnosis of immunodeficiency various tests and tests: general analysis blood, determination of blood protein fractions, specific immunological tests.

Treatment of immunodeficiency
Treatment of primary immunodeficiencies is a complex task. For appointment complex treatment mandatory establishment accurate diagnosis with the identification of the impaired link of immune defense. If there is a lack of immunoglobulins, lifelong replacement therapy serum containing antibodies or regular donor plasma. Immunostimulating therapy with drugs such as Bronchomunal, Ribomunil, Taktivin is also used.

If infectious complications occur, treatment with antibiotics, antiviral or antifungal drugs is prescribed.

With secondary immunodeficiencies, disorders of the immune system are less pronounced than with primary ones. As a rule, secondary immunodeficiencies are transient. In this regard, the treatment of secondary immunodeficiencies is much simpler and more effective compared to the treatment of primary disorders of the immune system.

Typically, treatment of secondary immunodeficiency begins with identifying and eliminating the cause of its occurrence (see above). For example, treatment of immunodeficiency due to chronic infections begin with the rehabilitation of foci of chronic inflammation.

Immunodeficiency against the background of vitamin and mineral deficiency begins to be treated with the help of complexes of vitamins and minerals and various food additives(dietary supplements) containing these elements. The restorative abilities of the immune system are great, so eliminating the cause of immunodeficiency usually leads to restoration of the immune system.

To speed up recovery and specifically stimulate the immune system, a course of treatment with immunostimulating drugs is carried out. On this moment A large number of different immunostimulating drugs are known, with different mechanisms of action. The preparations Ribomunil, Christine and Biostim contain antigens of various bacteria and, when introduced into the body, stimulate the production of antibodies and the differentiation of active clones of lymphocytes. Timalin, Taktivin – contain biologically active substances, extracted from the thymus gland of animals. Cordyceps is the most effective immunomodulator, normalizing the immune system as a whole. These drugs have a selective stimulating effect on a subpopulation of T lymphocytes. Sodium nucleinate stimulates the synthesis of nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), cell division and differentiation. Different kinds Interferons increase the overall resistance of the body and are successfully used in the treatment of various viral diseases.

Deserve special attention immunomodulatory substances plant origin: Immunal, Echinacea rosea extract, and especially Cordyceps.

Bibliography:

• Khaitov R.M., Secondary immunodeficiencies: clinical picture, diagnosis, treatment, 1999
• Kirzon S.S. Clinical immunology and allergology, M.: Medicine, 1990
• Contemporary issues allergology, immunology and immunopharmacology, M., 2002

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