title: Primary immune deficiency among patients with recurrent infections.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Primary immune deficiency is relatively rare. Patients present with recurrent or persistent infections or infections with opportunistic pathogens. We investigated patients who presented during the years 2005-7 with recurrent or persistent infections or infections with opportunistic organisms, for underlying immune deficiency.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Department of Immunology, Medical Research Institute, Colombo.
  
  
  METHODS
  257 patients referred to the Department of Immunology, Medical Research Institute, Colombo, with a history of recurrent infections, for evaluation of possible immune deficiency.
  
  
  METHODS
  Appropriate evaluation of immunological competence of the humoral and cell mediated immune systems.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 8 patients with agammaglobulinaemia (X linked agammaglobulinaemia and autosomal recessive agammaglobulinaemia), 2 patients each with ataxia telangiectasia, IgA deficiency and hyper-IgE syndrome, 3 patients with common variable immune deficiency (CVID), and 1 patient each with Griscelli syndrome, hyper-IgM syndrome and X linked severe combined immune deficiency (SCID).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Primary immune deficiency must be included in the evaluation of patients with recurrent infections, and timely intervention can prevent morbidity and mortality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Medical Research Institute, Colombo. nilhanrajivadesilva@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Rajiva
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Silva
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gunawardena
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wickremesinghe
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ranasinghe
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Namasivayam
mesh_terms: D001260:Ataxia Telangiectasia; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017074:Common Variable Immunodeficiency / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017098:IgA Deficiency; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012008:Recurrence; D016511:Severe Combined Immunodeficiency / Q000276:immunology