Primary Immunodeficiencies

St. Louis Allergy Doctor for Primary Immunodeficiencies

If you suspect or have been diagnosed with an immunodeficiency, seeing an allergy specialist in St. Louis is vital. Primary immunodeficiency diseases are rare and require a specialist to treat effectively. A St. Louis allergist (also known as an immunologist) is the best practitioner for diagnosis and immunodeficiency treatment. Many people tolerate a challenging condition for years, unaware there may be an allergy treatment in St. Louis available for relief. Depending on your diagnosis, an allergy doctor in St. Louis may be able to prescribe a treatment that greatly improves your symptoms.

St. Louis Allergy Doctors Explain Primary Immunodeficiencies

Primary immunodeficiency diseases (PI) are a group of more than 250 rare, chronic disorders in which part of the body’s immune system is missing or functions improperly. While not contagious, these diseases are caused by hereditary or genetic defects, and, although some disorders present at birth or in early childhood, the disorders can affect anyone in St. Louis, regardless of age or gender. Some impact a single part of the immune system; others may affect one or more components of the system. Careful diagnosis by a specialized allergist in St. Louis is essential to effective treatment.

One of the most important functions of the normal immune system is to protect us against infection. While symptoms of PI diseases may differ, patients in St. Louis who suffer from PI commonly have an increased susceptibility to infection. The infections may be in the skin, the sinuses, the throat, the ears, the lungs, the brain, the spinal cord, or the urinary or intestinal tracts. St. Louis allergists find that the increased vulnerability to infection may lead to repeated infections, infections-enduring recurrent health problems, and often the development of serious and debilitating illnesses. Fortunately, with accurate diagnosis from a St. Louis allergy clinic and proper medical care, many patients live full and independent lives.

Is it just an infection?

You should be suspicious if you have an infection that is…

  • Severe – requires hospitalization or intravenous antibiotics
  • Persistent – won’t completely clear up or clears very slowly
  • Unusual – caused by an uncommon organism
  • Recurrent – keeps coming back or if it
  • Runs in the family – others in your family have had a similar susceptibility to infection

If any of these words describe your infection, the immune Deficiency Foundation (IDF) recommends to ask your allergist to check for the possibility of PI. If you have further questions, please call our St. Louis allergy clinic or contact IDF through Ask IDF or 800-296-4433.

Additional Resource: IUIS Classification of Primary Immunodeficiencies

In April 2014, the Expert Committee of the International Union of immunological Societies (IUIS)
updated the classification of primary immunodeficiencies. In comparison to the previous version, more than 30 new gene defects are reported in this updated version. This classification is the most up-to- date catalog of all known primary immunodeficiencies and acts as a current reference of the knowledge of these conditions and is an important aid for the molecular diagnosis of patients with these rare diseases.

St. Louis Allergy Treatment

Primary immunodeficiencies include a range of serious but rare diseases. Only a specialist can effectively treat PI disease. For diagnosis and treatment, contact our St. Louis allergy clinic. One of the allergists will assess your condition and determine the best treatment method at our St. Louis allergy clinic. Accepting most types of insurance, our clinic is home to some of the best allergy doctors in St. Louis handling primary immunodeficiency diseases.

More information: http://www.aaaai.org/conditions-and-treatments/primary-immunodeficiency-disease

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