What is the immune system? Immune therapy in cancer treatement involves stimulating the body's own immune system to attack cancer cells. This approach can be preferable in children with cancer who are less able to tolerate severe side effects of some chemotherapy and radiation regimens. The immune system is a network of cells and proteins …
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What is immunosuppression? Immunosupression may be caused by illness or it can be induced therapeutically. Drugs are used to suppress the immune system in organ transplant patients to keep their bodies from rejecting the new organ. Immunosuppression compromises the immune system’s ability to fight infection. A healthy immune system protects the body by detecting and destroying harmful microbes and/or body …
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Anemia Anemia if not treated for a long period can lead to serious complications. These include heart failure, severe weakness and poor immunity. Anemia is a medical condition in which the person does not have enough red blood cells or RBCs. The RBCs in the blood carry iron a specialized protein called hemoglobin. Hemoglobin helps carry oxygen within the RBCs …
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What is allergen immunotherapy? Allergy immunotherapy involves exposing a person to various allergens over the course of years to sensitize them to the substance, reducing the autoimmune reaction that causes allergic symptoms. Ideally, immune therapy reduces dependence on allergy medication. Allergen immunotherapy is a treatment procedure for preventing/reducing allergic reactions to specific allergens. Immunotherapy reduces the dependence on medications for …
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How does a person get hepatitis? There are many different ways in which a person can get hepatitis, including sexual contact, blood transfusion, sharing needles, and more. A person can get hepatitis A through the following sources: Food or water contaminated with the fecal matter of an infected person Sexual contact (rare) A person can get hepatitis B in many …
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If patients have had a history of chickenpox, the risk of reactivation of the chickenpox virus as shingles includes physical or emotional stress, age over 50 years, and others. The typical shingles red rash or blisters occur after pain, itching, and tingling. They are usually limited to one side of the face and body. Shingles on the face, scalp, mouth, …
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What is Crohn’s disease? Crohn’s disease in and of itself is not usually life-threatening, although it can cause serious or fatal complications, which include bowel obstruction, fistulas, anal fissures, and others. Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory condition that causes inflammation in the gut (the digestive tract) and belongs to a group of conditions known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). …
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Shingles result from the activation of the chickenpox virus already present, but inactive (dormant), in nerve tissues. The virus remains dormant in spinal nerves usually after the person has had chickenpox as a child. The varicella-zoster virus that causes shingles can spread to others causing chickenpox in patients who have not had it in the past. It is not possible …
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What is HIV? The four stages of HIV are categorized by a blood count test of a certain type of immune cells called CD4+. The lower these levels fall, the worse your infection. Ultimately, the count may drop so low it's classified as AIDS, stage 4 of HIV. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) attacks the cells of the immune system. The …
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What is a fascia? The fascia is the fibrous connective tissue that is present throughout the entire body, and there are three main types: superficial fascia (Camper’s fascia), deep fascia (Scarpa’s fascia), and visceral fascia. The fascia is the fibrous connective tissue that is present throughout the entire body. There are three main types of fascia: Superficial fascia (Camper’s fascia): …
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