immune disorders
Chronic Granulomatous Disease (CGD)
Introduction
Chronic granulomatous disease is a hereditary immunodeficiency disorder in which phagocytes (a type of white blood cell) malfunction. People with chronic granulomatous disease have persistent infections of the skin, lungs, lymph nodes, mouth, nose, urinary tract, and intestine. Doctors diagnose the disorder based on blood tests. Treatment involves drugs to prevent infections and to reduce the number and severity of infections, as well as transfusions and stem cell transplantation. (See also Overview of Immunodeficiency Disorders .) Chronic granulomatous disease is a Primary immunodeficiency . It is usually inherited as an Normally, phagocytes (types of Components of the Immune System , including neutrophils, eosinophils, monocytes, and macrophages) ingest and kill microorganisms. In chronic granulomatous disease, phagocytes can ingest bacteria and fungi but cannot produce the substances (such as 