Treatment of immunodeficiency

• Treatment for immunodeficiency disorders include protection against and treatment of diseases and infections.


• Patients who are immunocompromised should not have contact with people who have infections or contagious diseases.


• This includes avoidance of people who have received vaccination with live viruses within the past two weeks.


• Prolonged use of anti-microbials, such as antibiotics, can be used to treat ongoing infections.


• Interferon is used to treat viral infections and some cancers. AZT is used to treat Aids. They are both immuno-stimulant drugs. These drugs increase the efficiency of the immune system.


• People who have HIV and Aids may take combination drugs. This improves their immunity.


• Bone marrow transplants may be used as treatment for some immunodeficiency conditions.


• Passive immunity, the administering of antibodies produced by another person or an animal, may be used as treatment to prevent illness after being exposed to a micro-organism.

(Health24, updated March 2014)

Sources: www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus