How to manage and help immune deficiency
The immune system in our body is nature’s own doctor that cures disease using the body’s own resources. Its role is to recognize and differentiate between what is harmful and what is not and act against foreign and disease causing antigens that enter the body.
The immune system fights antigens through cell-mediated immunity and humoral immunity. The first job is performed by white blood cells, which identify and destroy cancerous cells, bacteria, fungi and viruses. The second job is a bit more complex and involves production of antibodies, which are proteins with chemical structures similar to the surface of specific antigens. These antibodies either destroy the antigen or signal white blood cells to attack and destroy the antigen.
Whichever way the immune system acts, white blood cells are crucial. White blood cells are larger, can move through the blood stream on their own and penetrate the cell walls.
To perform these complex functions the body’s immune system health should be in perfect condition to retain the ability to ‘remember’ antigens that can cause a disease. Immune deficiency is indicated by frequent and prolonged illnesses and infections, uncontrollable diarrhea and poor child growth.
Some immune deficiencies are congenital or genetic in nature. Congenital or primary immune deficiency is identified early in life. Blood tests and vaccine administration are tried to establish immune deficiency. Blood tests reveal the adequacy or otherwise of white blood cells and vaccines are administered to see if they initiate production of the required amount of antibodies to fight antigens.
Management and treatment are the two major aspects of curing. Management requires learning about the disease and foods and activities that can enhance immune system’s health. For example, one can learn about herbs for immune system that can help in sprucing it up to a great extent.
The goal of treating immune deficiency is to decrease the frequency and severity of infections and limiting the side effects of any medication that is prescribed. Treatment involves medication, mostly antibiotics, and replacement therapies.
Antibiotics are single compound drugs that help to fight and prevent infection. Recourse to the antibiotic alternative, however, is with extreme care as the treatment can be a prolonged affair. All antibiotics have serious side effects. The risk is even more when taken for a protracted period. Besides side effects, antibiotics, if not taken according to the strict modalities laid down for determining the right drug for a disease, can become ineffective. The reason behind this is the ability of bacteria to ‘get used’ or resistant to the drug. Treatment can be a long drawn affair in which herbal antibiotics can play a decisive role in managing as well as treating immune deficiency.
Replacement therapies include intravenous infusion of gamma-globulin to patients who are unable to produce sufficient quantities of antibodies or immunoglobulins. There are a few other replacement therapies like bone marrow transplants and gamma interferon. Stem cell transplantation, a procedure recommended for congenital immune deficiency with white blood cell defects, has a high success rate in children under 5. Gene therapy, where healthy genes are sought to be replaced with disease causing genes is still in its trial stage. Even when it becomes fully available it will be only for those individuals who have known genetic defects.
