Approximately 25,000 Michigan residents suffer from a form of Primary Immune Deficiency.

What is a Primary Immune Deficiency Disease?

Primary immune deficiency diseases are disorders in which part of the body's immune system is missing or does not function properly. In contrast to secondary immune deficiency disease in which the immune system is compromised by factors outside the immune system, such as with certain medications like chemotherapy or viruses, the primary immune deficiency diseases are caused by genetic or intrinsic defects in the immune system.

There are a wide variety of primary immune deficiencies. There are nearly 100 primary immune deficiency diseases including X-linked Agammaglobulinemia (Bruton's Disease), Common Variable Immune Deficiency (also called Hypogammaglobulinemia), Selective IgA Deficiency, and Severe Combined Immune Deficiency (boy-in-the-bubble disease). Some disorders, such as Selective IgA Deficiency can be quite common, occurring as often as 1/400 individuals. While others, such as Severe Combined Immune Deficiency, can be as rare as one in a million. Untreated primary immune deficiencies may be characterized by frequent life-threatening or chronic infections and debilitating illnesses.

With advances in medicine and our increasing knowledge of primary immune deficiency diseases, treatment of primary immune deficient patients who in the past may not have even survived childhood are now capable of living nearly normal lives. Many individuals affected by primary immune deficiency diseases require life long therapies including intravenous gamma globulin infusions (IVIG), antibiotic therapies, or bone marrow transplantation. The Michigan Immunodeficiency Foundation is dedicated to improving the diagnosis and treatment of primary immune deficiency diseases through research and education.

MIDF would like to thank the MFD and IAFFLOCALS.NET for their support.