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Copyright 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2007, 2009, 2010
NORD is very grateful to Charlotte Cunningham-Rundles, MD, PhD, Departments of Medicine, Pediatrics, The Immunology Institute, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, for assistance in the preparation of this report.
Synonyms of Agammaglobulinemia
Disorder Subdivisions
- autosomal recessive agammaglobulinemia
- X-linked agammaglobulinemia with growth hormone deficiency
- X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA)
General Discussion
Agammaglobulinemia is a group of inherited immune deficiencies characterized by a low concentration of antibodies in the blood due to the lack of particular lymphocytes in the blood and lymph. Antibodies are proteins (immunoglobulins, [IgM], [IgG] etc) that are critical and key components of the immune system. They are essential if the immune system is to do its job of fighting off bacteria, viruses, and other foreign substances that threaten the body. The specialized precursor cells that produce gammaglobulins, fail to develop or function properly leading to the deficiency in the number of mature lymphocyte cellscalled B cells.
The types of agammaglobulinemia are: X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA), the much rarer X-linked agammaglobulinemia with growth hormone deficiency (about 10 cases reported), and autosomal recessive agammaglobulinemia (ARAG). All of these disorders are characterized by a weakened immune system that must be strengthened by the administration of gammaglobulin in order to fight off infections.
Organizations related to Agammaglobulinemia
- American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
555 East Wells Street Suite 1100
Milwaukee WI 53202-3823
Phone #: 414-272-6071
800 #: 800-822-2762
e-mail: info@aaaai.org
Home page: http://www.aaaai.org
- Autoimmune Information Network, Inc
PO Box 4121
Brick NJ 08723
Phone #: 732-664-9259
800 #: N/A
e-mail: autoimmunehelp@aol.com
Home page: http://www.aininc.org
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Road
Atlanta GA 30333
Phone #: 404-639-3534
800 #: 800-232-4636
e-mail: cdcinfo@cdc.gov
Home page: http://www.cdc.gov/
- European Society for Immunodeficiencies (ESID)
c/o Dr. Bodo Grimbacher (ESID Board Member)
Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology
Department of Medicine, University Hospital Freiburg
Hugstetter Strasse 55
Freiburg None D-79106
Phone #: +31- 73--6992965
800 #: N/A
e-mail: info@esid.org
Home page: http://www.esid.org
- Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center
PO Box 8126
Gaithersburg MD 20898-8126
Phone #: 301-251-4925
800 #: 888-205-2311
e-mail: http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/GARD/EmailForm.aspx
Home page: http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/GARD
- Immune Deficiency Foundation
40 West Chesapeake Avenue
Suite 308
Towson MD 21204
Phone #: 410-321-6647
800 #: 800-296-4433
e-mail: idf@primaryimmune.org
Home page: http://www.primaryimmune.org
- International Patient Organization for Primary Immunodeficiencies
Firside
Main Road
Downderry
Cornwall None PL11 3LE
Phone #: 44 -150-3 250 668
800 #: --
e-mail: david@ipopi.org
Home page: http://www.ipopi.org/
- Jeffrey Modell Foundation
747 Third Avenue
34th Floor
New York NY 10017
Phone #: 212-819-0200
800 #: 866-469-6474
e-mail: info@jmfworld.org
Home page: http://www.info4pi.org
- MUMS National Parent-to-Parent Network
150 Custer Court
Green Bay WI 54301-1243
Phone #: 920-336-5333
800 #: 877-336-5333
e-mail: mums@netnet.net
Home page: http://www.netnet.net/mums/
- Madisons Foundation
PO Box 241956
Los Angeles CA 90024
Phone #: 310-264-0826
800 #: N/A
e-mail: getinfo@madisonsfoundation.org
Home page: http://www.madisonsfoundation.org
- March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation
1275 Mamaroneck Avenue
White Plains NY 10605
Phone #: 914-997-4488
800 #: 888-663-4637
e-mail: Askus@marchofdimes.com
Home page: http://www.marchofdimes.com
- NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
6610 Rockledge Drive
MSC 6612
Bethesda MD 20892-6612
Phone #: 301-496-5717
800 #: --
e-mail: N/A
Home page: http://www.niaid.nih.gov/
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