Hypogammaglobulinanemia and HIV infection

Dear Ask The Doctor: I have gammaglobulinanemia,and also hiv if i do not gte treatment of the ivig what will happen ?I already have the vaccine for pnuemonia.

Dear Joe: Hypogammaglobulinaemia may be due to a primary or secondary cause. Primary causes are usually inherited and secondary causes are acquired and may be due to infections, medications, immunosuppression or a nephrotic syndrome. The common clinical feature of hypogammaglobulinemia relates to a predisposition toward infections that normally are defended against by antibody responses. These include encapsulated bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae infections, which frequently involve the upper and lower respiratory tract. You may also be more susceptible to opportunistic viral, fungal, or parasitic infections. IgG replacement therapy is the treatment of choice for most primary immunodeficiency syndromes, and the treatment of secondary hypogammaglobulinemia is directed at the underlying cause.Immunoglobulin replacement will decrease your risk of developing respiratory or opportunistic infections, which could potentially be life-threatening. I would advise discussing immunoglobulin replacement with your consultant physician. .