The Patient with ‘Too Many Infections’

Abstract

The cornerstone of the practice of primary care medicine is the ability to recognize unusual or distinct manifestations of disease and to separate these from those that are routine or expected. Immunodeficiency should be suspected immediately when a patient has an opportunistic infection or the features of one of the immunodeficiency syndromes. However, the primary care provider must more commonly grapple with the question, How many routine infections are too many? Answering this question involves the consideration of factors that influence immune function such as environment and age. This chapter provides an overview of the immune deficiency disorders, the differential diagnosis to be considered for the patient with recurrent infection and a diagnostic approach for the patient suspected of having immunodeficiency.