Allergy & Immunology

Allergy & Immunology

Allergy &Immunology Clinic at MEDENS is unique as it provides specialized services for all allergy problems and management of immune deficiency diseases. MEDENS is the first and the only Hospital in the region to start ‘Immune Deficiency Disorders’ Clinic. Dr Aman Gupta completed his DM in Pediatric Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology from PGI, Chandigarh. He is among the first 5 Pediatricians in India to have this qualification. He gained international experience at the best centres for diseases of the immune system in London, UK. He had been a clinical observer at the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, Bristol, UK and the Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, UK.

ADVANCED ALLERGY CLINIC

We offer management of all allergic diseases, including those affecting the skin, respiratory system, eyes and gastrointestinal system.

• Atopic Dermatitis, Eczema, Acute and Chronic Urticaria , Urticarial Vasculitis
• Allergic Rhinitis, ASTHMA, Hyper Reactive Airway Disease of Children
• Allergic Keratoconjunctivits
• Milk Protein Allergy
• Other Food Allergies
• Pollen Allergy

FACILITIES:

1. Allergy testing by Skin Prick Test and Blood tests
2. Immunotherapy for Allergic diseases

IMMUNOLOGY CLINIC

We offer diagnosis and treatment of Primary Immune Deficiency Diseases (PIDs) and other diseases affecting the immune system

Introduction to Diseases affecting the Immune System

Immune system defends the body against various infectious diseases. Children with deficient immune response suffer from multiple infections which may start as early as a few months of life. Primary Immunodeficiencies (PIDs) form a heterogeneous group of inherited disorders, usually caused by specific gene mutations that affect development and function of immune system. PIDs can be characterized by a defect in the number or function of B-cells, T-cells, phagocytes, complement components and various other components of the immune system. Clinical manifestations include severe and recurrent infections, autoimmunity, and malignancies.

When to suspect an Immunologic disease in children?

Immunodeficiency should be suspected in every patient, irrespective of age, who has:

1. Repeated episodes of infection: ear infections or ear discharge, sinus infections, pneumonias, diarrhoeas, abscesses
2. Infections (including abscesses) at unusual sites
3. Infections caused by unusual organisms (Atypical mycobacteria, fungi, unusual bacteria)
4. Infections with autoimmunity
5. Repeated infections requiring antibiotics
6. Persistent infections not responding to antibiotics
7. Persistent thrush in mouth
8. Persistent fungal infections of skin
9. Failure of an infant to gain weight
10. Family history of Primary Immunodeficiency
11. Family history of infant death due to infections

 

Consult an Immunologist if your child has infections that are:

• Too frequent
• Too severe
• Too long lasting, and
• Unresponsive to common antibiotics

 

Spectrum of Immunodeficiency diseases in children

1. Primary Immunodeficiencies
   1. B-cell defects:
      1. X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA)
      2. Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID)
      3. IgG subclass deficiency
      4. IgG4 related disease
      5. Hyper IgM syndrome
      6. X-linked lymphoproliferative disease (XLP)
   2. T-cell defects:
      1. Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID)
      2. Omenn syndrome
      3. DiGeorge syndrome
      4. Wiskott Aldrich Syndrome (WAS)
      5. Hyper IgE syndrome
      6. Ataxia telangiectasia
   3. Phagocytic defects:
      1. Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD)
      2. Leukocyte adhesion defect (LAD)
      3. Neutropenia (Severe Congenital neutropenia, Cyclic neutropenia)
      4. Chediak Higashi syndrome
      5. Griscelli syndrome
   4. Complement defects:
      1. Hereditary angioedema
      2. Complement component deficiency (C3 and C4 deficiency)
   5. Other PIDs
      1. Mendelian susceptibility to mycobacterial diseases (MSMD)
      2. Chronic muco-cutaneous candidiasis (CMCC)
      3. Autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS)
      4. Familial HLH
2. Secondary Immunodeficiency: HIV infection

Treatment

Early identification of Primary Immunodeficiencies is important to prevent recurrent infections in children, which can often be life threatening. Treatment is available for all major Immunodeficiency diseases and includes appropriate antibiotics for appropriate duration, intravenous immunoglobulin administration, vaccination advice and haematopoietic stem cell transplantation.