Infections Hypogammaglobulinemia Can Cause

Hypogammaglobulinemia is a disorder where the immune system is inhibited from making an adequate quantity of immunoglobulin antibodies. Immunoglobulins are a type of antibody that viruses, bacteria, animal dander, cancer cells, and fungi trigger the immune system to make as a response to the foreign substance. These antibodies are incredibly important because they are proteins that essentially put a tag on the foreign invaders so the body and immune system can recognize and subsequently attack them.

In individuals with hypogammaglobulinemia, the immune system is not able to adequately prevent infections from growing in the body. There are a number of infections a hypogammaglobulinemia patient can easily contract that can cause serious damage to organs and other life-threatening complications.

Meningitis

Meningitis is a disease that happens when the fluids surrounding the meninges cause an infection. The meninges are the brain and spinal cord's three protective membranes, and when the fluid around them becomes infected, the meninges become severely inflamed. This severe inflammation is what characterizes meningitis. Because the disease is caused by a bacterial infection, the immunoglobulin G antibodies are responsible for a good amount of the work it takes to fight this infection.

Immunoglobulin A antibodies are also very important because they are responsible for the protection of surfaces that come in contact with outside foreign substances like viruses, bacteria, and fungi. When an individual has hypogammaglobulinemia, their body cannot effectively make enough of both of these immunoglobulin antibodies that have the ability to fight off the infections that cause most cases of meningitis. Hypogammaglobulinemia patients often experience meningococcal infections that can lead to some permanent scarring on parts of the brain stem.

Bronchitis

Bronchitis occurs when the air channels that carry air into each lung or the bronchial tubes become very inflamed. There are several causes of the inflammation, however, one of the most common is from an infection. Infections that result from viruses such as adenovirus, influenza A and B, rhinovirus, and parainfluenza virus are all the most prevalent viruses that can cause the bronchial tube infections in healthy adults as well as hypogammaglobulinemia patients.

Bacteria can also cause bronchial tube infections to occur in individuals with hypogammaglobulinemia because they are more susceptible to bacteria types like Streptococcus pneumoniae, Moraxella catarrhalis, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Bordetella pertussis that adults with healthy immune systems are not typically susceptible to. Due the responsibility of the immunoglobulin A, G, and M antibodies for tagging foreign substances like viruses and bacteria in the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth, breathing passages, and lungs, a patient with hypogammaglobulinemia will experience bronchial tube inflammation inducing infections often because of the shortage of these antibodies in their system.