For detailed
For information on
For detailedDiagnosing PI Signs of primary immunodeficiency
People with primary immunodeficiency (PI) have one thing in common – susceptibility to infection. If you have two or more of the following warning signs, talk to a physician about getting tested for primary immune deficiency.1
- Eight or more new ear infections within one year
- Two or more serious sinus infections within one year
- Two or more months of antibiotics with little effect
- Two or more pneumonias within one year
- Failure of an infant to gain weight or grow normally
- Recurrent, deep skin or organ abscesses
- Persistent thrush in mouth or elsewhere on skin, after age one
- Need for intravenous antibiotics to clear infections
- Two or more deep-seated infections such as meningitis, osteomyelitis, cellulitis or sepsis
- A family history of primary immunodeficiency
To diagnose primary immune deficiency disease, doctors generally do a physical exam, ask about family history, and order blood tests to check red and white blood cells, antibodies, and the complement system, and skin tests that show if T cells are working. These tests help doctors determine the type of PI and recommend a treatment protocol. Always seek the advice of your own physician regarding any medical conditions.
Glossary Terms:
- Antibodies:
- A complex protein produced by the body to combat bacteria, virus, or other foreign antigens.
- Complement System:
- Several interrelated proteins in the blood that work in conjunction with antibodies and are responsible for destroying bacteria, producing inflammation, and regulating immune reactions.
- Jeffrey Modell Foundation Advisory Board. 10 Warning Signs of Primary Immunodeficiency. Jeffrey Modell Foundation website. 2008. Available at http://npi.jmfworld.org/patienttopatient/index.cfm?section=patienttopatient&content=warningsigns. Accessed July 31, 2008.
