The list of signs and symptoms mentioned in various sources for Selective IgA Deficiency includes the 12 symptoms listed below:
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Do I have Selective IgA Deficiency?
The list of other diseases or medical conditions that may be on the differential diagnosis list of alternative diagnoses for Selective IgA Deficiency includes:
See the full list of 18 alternative diagnoses for Selective IgA Deficiency
More information about symptoms of Selective IgA Deficiency and related conditions:
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Some IgA-deficient patients have no symptoms, possibly because they have extra amounts of low-molecular-weight IgM. This immunoglobulin takes over IgA function and helps maintain immunologic defenses. Among patients who develop symptoms, chronic sinopulmonary infection is the most common. Other effects are respiratory allergy, often triggered by infection; GI tract diseases, such as celiac disease, ulcerative colitis, and regional enteritis; autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, immunohemolytic anemia, and chronic hepatitis; and malignant tumors, such as squamous cell carcinoma of the lungs, reticulum cell sarcoma, and thymoma.
Age of onset varies. Some IgA-deficient children with recurrent respiratory disease and middle ear inflammation may begin to synthesize IgA spontaneously as recurrent infections subside and their condition improves.
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Many IgA-deficient patients are
healthy, with no more than the usual number of infections. Those
patients who do have symptoms typically have recurring ear, sinus,
or lung infections that may not respond to standard courses of
antibiotics. People with IgA-deficiency are likely to have other
problems, including allergies, asthma, chronic diarrhea, and
autoimmune diseases.
How is IgA deficiency
diagnosed?
People with IgA deficiency have low
levels of IgA antibodies in their blood. In contrast, their levels
of IgM and IgG immunoglobulins usually are normal. IgA-deficient
people also have normal levels of other immune system cells,
including T cells, phagocytes, and complement proteins.
Doctors diagnose IgA deficiency by doing tests to measure
the amount of total immunoglobulin in the blood as well as the type
of immunoglobulin known as IgG2. Other tests determine how well a
person is producing antibodies against specific germs following
immunization with a common vaccine, such as a tetanus
shot.
What causes IgA
deficiency?
IgA deficiency is caused by faulty
white blood cells called B cells or B lymphocytes. While patients
have normal numbers of B cells, these cells do not mature into
normal IgA-producing cells. Scientists do not yet know the exact
cause or causes for these immature B cells. Sometimes clusters of
cases occur in families, and IgA-deficient patients are more likely
than the general population to be related to someone with combined
variable immunodeficiency, another form of immunodeficiency
discussed below. Research is underway to determine the location of
the suspected genes on the involved chromosomes.
How is IgA deficiency
treated?
There is no specific treatment for
selective IgA deficiency. Doctors treat bacterial infections with
antibiotics, and patients with giardiasis (an infection caused by a
common intestinal parasite receive metronidazole or quinacrine
hydrochloride.
(Source: excerpt from Primary Immune Deficiency, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID)
These general reference articles may be of interest in relation to medical signs and symptoms of disease in general:
Full list of premium articles on symptoms and diagnosis
The symptom information on this page attempts to provide a list of some possible signs and symptoms of Selective IgA Deficiency. This signs and symptoms information for Selective IgA Deficiency has been gathered from various sources, may not be fully accurate, and may not be the full list of Selective IgA Deficiency signs or Selective IgA Deficiency symptoms. Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Selective IgA Deficiency may vary on an individual basis for each patient. Only your doctor can provide adequate diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they are indeed Selective IgA Deficiency symptoms.
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