Glossary for Chronic Granulomatous Disease

• AIDS: A term given to HIV patients who have a low CD4 count (below 200) which means that they have low levels of a type of immune cell called T-cells. AIDS patients tend to develop opportunistic infections and cancers. Opportunistic infections are infections that would not normally affect a person with a healthy immune system. The HIV virus is a virus that attacks the body's immune system.
• Acne-like conditions: Medical conditions similar to acne or highly related to acne.
• Anemia: Reduced ability of blood to carry oxygen from various possible causes.
• Common Variable Immunodeficiency: An immunodeficiency disorder involving low blood gamma globulin levels which results in an increased susceptibility to infections. The condition may be inherited or can be caused by certain drugs (levamisole, hydantoin and carbamazepine).
• Digestive symptoms: Any symptoms affecting the digestive tract.
• Fever: Elevation of the body temperature above the normal 37 degrees celsius
• Genetic Disease: Any disease that is handed down to oneself through the chromosomes of ones parents
• Gum symptoms: Dental symptoms affecting the gums
• Hyper-IgM Syndrome: A rare inherited immunodeficiency disorder which causes frequent infections involving the ears, eyes, sinuses, lungs, skin, respiratory tract and other areas of the body.
• Hypergammaglobulinemia: An increase in the level of any of a number of gamma globulins. This can result from conditions such as chronic bacterial infections, multiple myeloma, lymphomas, dysproteinemias, liver disease and chronic granulomatous inflammations. The exact symptoms depend on the type of gamma globulins involved and the severity of the condition.
• Immune deficiency conditions: Any of various diseases that suppress the immune system.
• Immune disorders: Disorders that affect the immune system
• Inflammatory bowel disease: Inflammatory bowel disease refers to digestive symptoms resulting from chronic bowel inflammation. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are two of the main subtypes of the disease. Scientists have discovered an array of genetic mutations which can result in an increased susceptibility to inflammatory bowel disease. Not all people with the genetic anomaly will develop the condition but it can increase the risk especially if other environmental factors are also present. The severity of the disease that develops is variable.
• Lack of urine: Total lack of any urine output
• Malabsorption syndrome: is an alteration in the ability of the intestine to absorb nutrients adequately into the bloodstream
• Persistent cough: The noise produced from the sudden expulsion of air from the lungs
• Primary Immune Deficiency: Various types of immune deficiencies; usually genetic.
• Pus: White or yellow oozing fluid
• Rash: General name for any type of skin inflammation.
• SCID: Major failure of the immune system, usually genetic.
• Selective IgA Deficiency: Immune deficiency from lacking immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibodies.
• Swollen glands: Swelling of glands or lymph nodes
• Swollen lymph nodes: Swelling or enlargement of the lymph nodes
• X-Linked Agammaglobulinemia: Immune deficiency from lack of antibodies.

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