Abstract
Immune disorders - whether congenital or acquired - are among the most medically, socially and economically serious issues. The rising trend in these conditions means that virtually every physician of any specialization encounters these patients.
As an immunodeficiency in the clinic, we still refer to conditions that lead primarily to a failure of one of the basic functions of immunity, namely the defense against microorganisms. Therefore, the most common clinical manifestation of immunodeficiency is increased susceptibility to infectious diseases.
But it is becoming increasingly clear that disorders of the immune system can lead to very diverse clinical manifestations depending on what component of immunity is affected, at what age the disability occurs, what is the environment in which the patient lives, what other diseases they suffer, how and where the gene responsible for a particular defect is broken and what other genetic equipment the patient has. The book provides a general overview of the mechanisms of immunity, the basic units of congenital immunodeficiencies, and the conditions that most often lead to secondary immunodeficiencies.
The book will be appreciated especially by internists, pediatricians and general practitioners for children and adults.