Immune System Disorders Sourcebook, 5th Ed.

The body’s immune system usually works efficiently to ward off disease, but things can go wrong. Sometimes dysfunctions result from inherited conditions. Sometimes they are caused when bacteria or viruses, such as the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), slip past normal immune system defenses. Sometimes, for reasons poorly understood, the immune system begins to attack normal body cells. This can result in an autoimmune disease. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates that up to 23.5 million Americans suffer from autoimmune disease and that the prevalence is rising.

Immune System Disorders Sourcebook, Fifth Edition provides information about immune system function and related disorders. Readers will learn about primary and secondary immunodeficiency diseases, hypersensitivity, cancer immunotherapy, and autoimmune diseases, including celiac disease, Behçet disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, VEXAS syndrome, and myasthenia gravis. Moreover, readers will get to know about symptoms, diagnostic tests, and drugs and therapies, along with tips for coping with autoimmune and immune disorders, suggestions for glossaries of terms related to immunology and a directory of additional resources.

Part 1: Overview of the Immune System explains how the immune system works and discusses both immune response and tolerance. It summarizes the types, major diseases, and genetics and epigenetics. It also details research initiatives designed to help better understand the immune system and how it can be manipulated to provide health benefits.

Part 2: Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases acquired immune system conditions that develop over time rather than being present at birth. The symptoms, signs, causes, care, and management of primary immunodeficiency diseases are described. Ataxia-telangiectasia, Chédiak-Higashi syndrome, chronic granulomatous disease, common variable immunodeficiency, and severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), also known as “bubble boy disease,” are some primary immunodeficiency diseases included.

Part 3: Secondary Immunodeficiency Diseases provides an overview of the associated symptoms, treatments, and prevention measures. It includes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), malnutrition and infection, and opportunistic infections, such as candidiasis, invasive cervical cancer (ICC), coccidioidomycosis, cytomegalovirus (CMV), and toxoplasmosis.

Part 4: Autoimmune Diseases includes types, symptoms, and diseases of the intestinal tract, blood, blood vessels, connective tissues, bone, and joints, as well as eye, glandular, liver, renal, and skin disorders. It also covers Crohn’s disease, pernicious anemia, vasculitis, relapsing polychondritis, and primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC).

Part 5: Hypersensitive Immune Responses provides insight into the causes, symptoms, treatment, and management and also explains hypersensitivity, anaphylaxis (type 1), blood transfusion reaction (type 2), serum sickness (type 3), and transplant rejection (type 4).

Part 6: Diagnostic Tests for Immune Disorders explains information for people concerned about the diagnostic challenges involved in identifying immune disorders, it also discusses the symptoms, methods of diagnosis, and how a patient can help the doctor for accurate diagnosis. Facts about the tests most commonly used, including gene, allergy, and immune assessment tests, are provided.

Part 7: Drugs and Therapies for Immune Diseases and Disorders contains information about drug and gene therapies, stem cell transplantation, also about the different treatments, risks, and complications faced by the patient.

Part 8: Coping with Immune Disease provides tips for individuals and families living with an autoimmune or immune system disease, immunization recommendations, and suggestions for students and travelers with immune system disorders.

Part 9: Additional Help and Information offers glossaries of terms related to immunology and a directory of resources.