agammaglobulinemia

agammaglobulinemia /agam·ma·glob·u·lin·emia/ (a-gam″ah-glob″u-lĭ-ne´me-ah) absence of all classes of immunoglobulins in the blood. See also hypogammaglobulinemia.

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X-linked agammaglobulinemia  an X-linked disorder characterized by absence of circulating B lymphocytes, plasma cells, or germinal centers in lymphoid tissues, very low levels of circulating immunoglobulins, susceptibility to bacterial infection, and symptoms resembling rheumatoid arthritis; apparently due to failure of pre-B cells to differentiate into mature B cells.

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a·gam·ma·glob·u·lin·e·mi·a (-gm-glby-l-nm-)

n.

Congenital or acquired absence of, or extremely low levels of, gamma globulins in the blood.

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Agammaglobulinemia

The lack of gamma globulins in the blood. Antibodies are the main gamma globulins of interest, so this term means a lack of antibodies.

Mentioned in: Immunodeficiency

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agammaglobulinemia

[agam′əglob′yo̅o̅linē′mē·ə]

Etymology: Gk a + gamma, not gamma (third letter of Greek alphabet); L, globulus, small sphere; Gk, haima, blood

the absence of the serum immunoglobulin gamma globulin, associated with an increased susceptibility to infection. The condition may be transient, congenital, or acquired. The transient form is common in infancy before 6 weeks of age, when the infant becomes able to synthesize the immunoglobulin. The congenital form is rare and sex-linked, affecting male children; it results in decreased production of antibodies. The acquired form usually occurs in malignant diseases such as leukemia, myeloma, or lymphoma. Also spelled agammaglobulinaemia. See also Bruton's agammaglobulinemia, immune gamma globulin.

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agammaglobulinemia (āˈ·gaˈ·m·glˈ·by·l·nēˑ·mē·),

n condition in which the serum immunoglobulin gamma globulin is absent, thus increasing risk of infection. Can be fleeting, hereditary, or acquired.

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agammaglobulinemia

severe or complete deficiency of immunoglobulins (antibodies) in the blood. Due to reliance on colostral versus placental transfer of immunoglobulins most domestic animals are agammaglobulinemic at birth, prior to suckling. An inherited defect is not commonly recorded in animals, but does occur as a primary inherited condition and as part of a combined immune deficiency, both of them in horses. The deficiency or absence of antibodies results in severe and recurrent infections. See also hypogammaglobulinemia, combined immune deficiency syndrome (disease).

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Bruton's agammaglobulinemia

an inherited, X-linked recessive condition in humans involving a deficiency of B lymphocytes and plasma cells. A similar condition, though less well characterized, has been recognized in horses.

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agammaglobulinemia

1 Swiss agammaglobulinemia, see there 2 X-linked agammaglobulinemia, see there