Primary immune deficiencies are a large group of disorders in which some component of the immune system is absent or malfunctions. There are nearly 100 primary immune deficiency diseases recognized today. Some of these are extremely rare, such as severe combined immune deficiency (SCID) and some are more common, like x-linked agammaglobulinemia. Though these diseases differ in their root causes, the effects are similar. People with primary immune deficiencies suffer from frequent infections and when left untreated, these can be life-threatening. Many patients require life-long treatments such as intravenous immune globulin (IVIG), antibiotics, or bone marrow transplants.

The Immune Deficiency Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the diagnosis and treatment of primary immune deficiencies nationwide. Their website is an excellent resource for patients and clinicians. Please click here to visit their site.