Immune
Deficiency
Syndrome
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Immune Problems | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Sometimes there are problems with the immune system. The main problems are immunodeficiency, autoimmunity, and allergic reactions. This page gives one example of each immune problem. | ||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
| Aquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Aquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome is usually known as AIDS. It is an immunodeficiency disease caused by a virus called the HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). The HIV attacks the helper T cells, which are white blood cells that send other cells to battles. When helper T cells are destroyed, other cells will not go to battle when invading organisms enter the body. Invading organisms will attack the body without needing to battle with white blood cells and antibodies. Eventually, the infected person will die of illness. | ||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
| Hay Fever | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Hay fever (allergic rhinitis), one of the most common forms of allergy, is an allergic reaction to pollen. It is caused by tiny grains of plant pollen that drift in the air (not by hay). These pollen grains land on the eyes and in the nasal cavity. They cause allergic reactions in people with hay fever, making these parts itchy and inflamed. The inflamed cells will release fluid, which gives the person a runny nose and makes him/her sneeze. The pollen grains do not bother people without hay fever. | ||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
| SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Systemic lupus erythematosus (usually known just as lupus or SLE) is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks certain large molecules in the nuclei of body cells. The autoantibodies that cause this disease spread throughout the body, so this disease can affect many parts of the body. A rash is the most obvious symptom of lupus, but less than 1/3 of the people with SLE get the rash. Most people with SLE have aches, pains, and swollen joints. | ||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||