Abstract
Deficiency of a component of the immune system is associated with increased risk for developing an autoimmune disease. Inflammation caused by persistent antigen stimulation and impaired immunocomplex elimination associated with imune system dysregulation leeds to chronic tissue injury, eventually resulting in the development of undesirable autoimmune reactivity.
In patients with immunopathological reactivity to endocrine glands, the above processes have an adverse effect on their metabolism. Its impairment generally decreases immune system function while increasing susceptibility to viral, bacterial and mold infection.
In immunodeficient individuals without serious manifestations of infection, the presentations of an autoimmune disease may precede the diagnosis of immunodeficiency. The paper presents two case reports exemplifying diseases which manifest themselves as combination of immunodeficiency and autoimunity.