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0:00
Welcome to this Henry
Stewart lecture
on Impaired Immunity.
I am Dr. Fernando
Martinez Estrada,
an expert in macrophage biology.
My research focuses on how
macrophages are activated
by cytokines, key molecules
in the regulation of
the immune system.
This lecture will guide you
through the complexities
of impaired immunity and
why understanding
it is so critical.
0:26
In this session, we will cover
the foundational and
advanced aspects
of impaired immunity.
First, we will define what
the immune system is and
the body's defense against
infections and disease.
Then we will explore what
impaired immunity means,
that is a weakened
or dysfunctional
immune response that
leaves the body
vulnerable to threats and
then we will break
down the causes.
We will look at
genetic causes such as
inherited immune
disorders and acquired
causes like infections,
malnutrition, and medication.
We will also look
at pathogenesis.
Meaning how these dysfunctions
develop at the cellular
and molecular level.
Finally, we will look at the
clinical effects ranging from
higher infection risk
to a greater chance of
auto immunity and the
development of chronic diseases.
1:20
Now we're going to look at
the origins of
impaired immunity.
Impaired immunity can arise
when the body's
natural defenses are
no longer effective in fighting
even common infections.
We categorize these
disorders in two broad ways.
The first ones are inborn,
also known as primary immune
deficiency disorders.
These are disorders
with a genetic basis.
Then, we have acquired
immune deficiencies which
may be caused by infections,
for example, HIV. Underlying
medical conditions
such as diabetes, to
give you an example,
medications and other drugs,
and mutations accumulated
during aging.
One of the biggest
clinical challenges
here is the wide
variation of symptoms
and presentations which can make
identifying the actual
disease extremely difficult.
Because of this complexity,
any patient with suspected
immune deficiencies
should be referred to a
specialist immunologist,
which is why this lecture
should be important for you.
